I loved this movie, but at the grand closing concert I kept looking for Rowena. Did anyone else wish she'd come back to pay her respects? Were others curious as to whether she'd become a Broadway star? There was definitely a sense that a significant student was missing from this farewell concert. Perhaps they just didn't know what to do with her but surely creative screenwriters could have had some touching or clever moment here.
shareIt crossed my mind initially, but only for a moment. But I can honestly say that not knowing what becomes of her is both more realistic and allows the viewer to draw his own conclusion. The beauty of MHO is that its story unfolds in a series of chapters. Every encounter he has with each individual student is a chapter- from Gertrude to Louis to Mr. Mims (the stoned kid he took to the funeral; hope that's his name), and so on. Aside from Gertrude and Louis, we don't learn what happens to each of his students- not even by the end of the movie. If EVERYONE, including Rowena, were to come back at the end, I guarantee you there would be posts complaining about it being too hokey or too cheesy, or just too tidy. As it is, the entire subplot with Rowena, as awkward as it was at that moment in his life and as unfinished as it ended, was my favorite part of the movie. Their last scene together always makes me a little teary. I love the beauty and the sophistication of Jean Louisa Kelly.
shareIt never said that Rowena became a Broadway star. She went to New York after the show closed to pursue acting on Broadway. Whether or not she made it is a different story. I was a little curious as to why she wasn't there at the end but they might've cut something out that explains it. I wonder if it is that she did succeed on Broadway and became a female Robert Goulet, who also wouldn't have cared.
shareNo. I have always believed that not bringing her back was an indication that she had failed in New York and perhaps had even disappeared and couldn't be located.
Sounds like a great plot for a sequel.
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She probably didn't make it big (and I can go with that guesswork in a manipulative movie like this one) but, even if she did, she wasn't technically one of his "students." She was the hot, talented muse discovered randomly during auditions. I don't think she played an instrument . . . :)
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I just recently watched to movie again after several years, and though it would have been nice to see Roweena again I didn't really miss her in that scene. she didn't belong there. this was not about the story between Holland an Roweena, it was about his music. it was better this way. I kinda wonder what happened to her after she left, though...
shareI was much more intrigued by how Mr. Holland's other students turned out, like Stadler who at the end, is a mature grown-up.
We all know things will go well for Rowena, and that her future is bright. With the other students in the movie, it's not such a certainty.
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We all know things will go well for Rowena, and that her future is bright.
No. I'm glad that her part was over and she ended up being in the past-- I'm glad that the family was united at the end and I feel that would've messed with the vibe, somewhat.
shareNO!
shareNo.
Her character ran it's course of usefulness when she left. She represented his desire to teach to pay the bills but to make music his life. Him letting her go showed that his values were changing, he placed more importance on family and teaching at that point and she made him realize that. She would have been useless at the end.
It was surprising and disappointing Rowena didn't turn up at the end. Although enjoyable, everything else about the film was OTT so why not Rowena returning?
shareWhy does everyone keep saying she comes back at the end of the film!??!
Screenshot or GTFO.
Also, don't show me the photo of the other music teacher, Sarah. That isn't Rowena!
Broadway star! I hope. She was cool. That would have made the ending really pop.
shareRowena did not and should not come back for the ending. Jeez what is it with viewers always needing these nice closed circles where everything is resolved and explained at the end? Ok maybe in the spoof version of the movie just as Mr. Holland is conducting his Aaron Copland ripoff symphony he looks up and sees a really coked-out scabby Rowena way at the back of the auditorium with bleached-out hair and tons of makeup smoking a cigarette and standing next to a total pimp-looking latino guy who upon seeing Mr. H flicks open a switchblade and gives him a menacing look. Pan back to Rowena who is now coddling a skanky young boy who looks strangely like a younger version of Cole (she's back for the child support money) Fade to black...
shareHarsh.
shareI think it's true to life that we just never hear from some people again. Sad but true... even if it doesn't seem right or seem all tidied up in a nice little bow, like we want.
Whatever happened to Rowena, I'm sure she took some hard knocks in the Big Apple at such a young age, but probably turned out fine and kept herself safe, thanks to Mr. Holland providing that safety net in NYC for her in the form of his former bandmate/friend.
Go bows!
shareI would just had Rowena show up in a porn movie that the football coach brings to a small after hours get together.
shareIris would not have been paranoid and threatened by Roweena.
She knew Glenn had been tempted by her, and turned her down. ("I love you." "I know.")
And she had been the lovestuck girl pining after her music teacher herself.
So Iris would not have been paranoid about it 15 years later.
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4) You ever seen Superman $#$# his pants? Case closed.