Maestro
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman
Directed by: Bradley Cooper
A biopic about the life of Leonard Bernstein has been a coveted project in recent years. So much so that Bradley Cooper and Jake Gyllenhaal were in a bit of a war to make a movie about the famed composer, with Bradley Cooper eventually being chosen by the Bernstein estate to portray him.
Maestro is Bradley Cooper’s return to directing after he changed our lives with A Star is Born and got snubbed by the Oscars. (Some things will never be forgotten.) The film primarily tackles the relationship of Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan) spanning 30 years.
On a technical level, Maestro is a very impressive film. Bradley Cooper shows once again that he has what it takes to be an excellent director.
The cinematography by Matthew Libatique is stunning. It might be my favorite part of the movie. The film starts in black and white and transitions to color at the halfway mark. The way Libatique uses long takes and moves the camera in such grand and sweeping movements is breathtaking. He utilizes a birds eye view to start the film in a moment that is truly cinematic. There are some really gorgeous shots in Maestro that are stunning to look at.
Cooper’s performance is front and center. He embodies Bernstein in an exceptional performance portraying a young man just getting his start to one of the most accomplished composers in music. He completely disappears into the role, taking on the composer’s stature, voice, and charismatic persona. It’s a performance that is sure to garner awards attention, without a doubt.
Bernstein and Felicia shared a very complex relationship dynamic. Bernstein was bisexual and had frequent relationships with men during their marriage. However, he leaned on Felicia for emotional and moral support throughout his life. She provided that space for him, even when their marriage became more of a friendship. Cooper and Mulligan do an exceptional job of keeping us intrigued in the relationship. Even when there are times that the relationship sequences feel tired in the film, we are still enamored with their performances.
Carey Mulligan is wonderful as Felicia, the actress filled with wide-eyed wonder at Leonard’s charming ways. When the two marry, Felicia’s wonder fades with time as Leonard’s charm finds its way to others. Mulligan is so commanding in every scene. One scene that takes place on Thanksgiving is a particular standout showcasing some stellar acting.
Although this is primarily Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan’s film, supporting performances by Maya Hawke as Jamie Bernstein, Matt Bomer as David Oppenheim, and Sarah Silverman as Shirley Bernstein add a lot to the ensemble cast.
While the technical and performance sides of Maestro left me so impressed, I was a bit underwhelmed by the screenplay. The script locks into the personal side of Bernstein and his relationship with Felicia and little else. Of course, I want to know about who he was, what drove him, and what went on behind the music. Maestro focuses on the melodrama a little too much. When dealing with a man who has written so many prolific works, I wanted to know more about that. I thought we would surely get a scene of him composing West Side Story, but the theme music is only played in passing during a melodramatic scene surrounding his marriage. One of the film’s strongest moments comes when he is conducting a powerful piece in a church. The film could have used more moments like that to show us the impact of his music.
Bradley Cooper directs and stars in another technically impressive film with wonderful performances. However, Maestro veers into some melodramatic biopic stereotypes that focus too heavily on his marriage and too little on the music that made him prolific.
My Rating: 7/10
*Maestro is in limited theaters now and streaming on Netflix December 20th