Ivory on AllMovie

Two classical pianists preparing to compete in the International Liszt Piano Competition find their lives transformed in the year leading up to the esteemed recital in this musical drama from writer Laurence Gingold and director Andrew W. Chan. Andreas and Jake are both gifted pianists, and they're both convinced that a flawless performance in Budapest will be the key to a long and prosperous career. As Andreas begins training under Olga Primakova, a former competition winner who will also serve as a judge in Budapest, he finds himself challenged in ways he never thought possible while falling into an affair with Jake's girlfriend, a ravishing opera singer with a powerful voice. Meanwhile, Jake falls into a dangerous cycle of self-destruction that threatens to end his musical career before it even begins.