Some movies are made purely as escapism, a temporary foray into a world other than the viewer's own, and there's nothing wrong with that. Some are meant to teach you something. But the films that last the longest over time are the ones that change your perspective, the ones that open your eyes and mind to a new and untapped meaning. Those are a rare breed of cinema, and Music Got Me Here is among them.

The miraculous true story follows two Middleburg, Virginia residents whose lives have been shaped by music: eccentric music therapist, Tom Sweitzer; and Tom's former music student, Forrest Allen.

Their paths converge after Forrest sustains a traumatic brain injury during a snowboarding accident, and what follows is a long and trying journey of recovery. With Tom's aid and musical influence, Forrest is determined to regain his voice, his mobility, and his direction in life.

In the case of most "true story" films, you're typically getting a narrative film that's based on a true story, so you're almost always running the risk of missing details or not truly getting the full story. Fortunately, Music Got Me Here happens to be a documentary, so you know that every bit of what you're seeing is raw and authentic. It truly does a job to put you in the perspective of Tom and the Allen family, and every step of their journey is powerfully felt.

Given that this is a documentary, there isn't much to say in the way of acting; this isn't an adaptation trying to represent a story, but rather, this is the story itself. Tom and Forrest aren't playing characters, they are the stars themselves. As a result, there is no acting here; evey tear and every triumph is genuine, captured exactly as it happened.

The same applies to the editing (or simply put, the way that frames are cut together). Normally in movies, I don't notice editing unless it's really good or really bad, and here, it certainly isn't the latter. Editor Georgia Koch does a swift job of capturing real life, a signature style of this particular medium.

But this film isn't about the technical aspects or the acting; it's about the story, and the layers of themes behind it. The easiest lesson to pick out is "wear your helmet," which Forrest was not during his accident. He now acts as a strong advocate for this very notion, and is devoted to using his story to change the lives of others.

But there are so many more ideas at play here, namely the importance of accepting your decisions as opposed to regretting them, and perhaps most importantly, the significant and weighty role of music therapy. Without breaths turning into hums, turning into sung words, turning into spoken conversations, Forrest's brain wouldn't have been reactivated the way it was. It's imperative that music therapy be recognized as much more than just singing songs to make people feel better. It's a clinically-proven method of positive impact, and Forrest Allen is living proof of it.

To be honest, this was an interesting review for me to write. Because I am blessed to know Forrest and Tom personally and call them my friends, I had to separate my bias and judge it simply as a film first. And as a film, I firmly believe that even if an audience member doesn't have that personal connection to the people on screen, it will leave just as much of an emotional impact. It's an authentic and powerful film about strength and resilience, about family bonds and the endurance of the human spirit. It's more than just a cautionary tale about helmet advocacy, it's also a virtuous story about accepting the life placed upon you and using it for the betterment of others. Music Got Me Here is an important film for all to see, and I don't need to know Forrest personally to give it four out of four stars.