Seymour: An Introduction

The wonder of non-fiction movies is that when a subject is interesting the craftsmanship doesn't need to be very good. With "Seymour: An Introduction," actor Ethan Hawke ("Boyhood," "Before Sunset," "Training Day") makes his first documentary, and his filmmaking style is patch worked, self-promoting and more than a little pretentious. But simply turning a camera on the virtuoso pianist and master teacher Seymour Bernstein offers a wealth of aphorisms and insights into music, humanity and creativity, as well as a compelling glance at a particularly intriguing New Yorker.

Though Bernstein's specialty is the piano, and we watch him teaching this instrument in many forms throughout this 81-minute presentation, his instruction carries into all aspects of art and life. The maestro is quickly accepted as a sage guru and mentor whose words are to be studied and pondered.

Rather than trusting his subject, Hawke points the camera to himself and talks about the way he met Seymour Bernstein at a Manhattan dinner party. He talks about his own stage fright and his pressure to succeed in the industry. When Bernstein faced these same challenges he left the spotlight and became a teacher and a composer. In the end, it doesn't seem likely that Hawke will make similar choices.

Bernstein's solitude and stunning reclusiveness in the midst of one of the world's most bustling metropolises prove to be an equally intriguing subplot in this naturally engaging portrait of a man.

In addition to the documentary, this DVD offers the full length filmed performance of Bernstein's first public recital in decades for Mark Ruffallo, Hawke and others at an actors' studio.

"Seymour: An Introduction"
DVD
$24.98
www.ifcfilms.com