MPAA Rating: R/Genre: Biographical Drama/Stars: Carey Mulligan, Bradley Cooper, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Michael Urie, Brian Klugman, Gideon Glick, Sam Nivola, Miriam Shor, Alexa Swinton, Josh Hamilton, June Gable/Runtime: 129 minutes
In a departure from how I normally start these reviews, I think I will start this one off by providing you guys with a word and its definition (trust me when I say there is a point to this beyond selling my new Alan Gekko’s Word of the Day Calendar. Even so though, I mean you gotta admit: having a calendar of my bad movie-induced angry face giving you a word each day with a sarcastic definition of said word does seem like a pretty sweet Christmas gift this year). All jokes aside though dear reader, the word that I would like to go over with you today is the word maestro. This is a word that, for the purposes of both time and this review, means someone who is an expert or master of their chosen profession. So for example Roger Ebert could be considered a maestro of film criticism as much as Batman can be considered a maestro amongst superheroes and Michael Jordan can be seen as a maestro of professional basketball (baseball on the other hand not so much). In the world of musical conducting/composing however, one such individual who should definitely be given the distinct maestro label would without question have to be the legendary Leonard Bernstein. A man who, among the many contributions he brought to his distinct corner of the universe, gave audiences the musicals On the Town and West Side Story and the musical accompaniment to the phenomenal 1954 crime drama On the Waterfront. Oh and he also had a weekly show on TV that tried to teach kids about classical music (what a guy!). Yet even though there have been at least 1 or 3 documentaries made about this genuine icon of music, I don’t know if I have ever seen an entry in that distinct subgenre of movie magic known as the biopic which chose to shine its focus upon him. Or at least that was the case until I saw the new slice of cinema from Netflix that I am reviewing for you today in the form of the aptly named Maestro. Intriguingly though, I am not entirely sure if a “biopic” would be the right word to really describe this slice of cinema. To be sure, it does cover some of the life of an actual historical figure, but it’s not a film that really goes from beginning to end on their life the way that a film like 1992’s vastly underrated Chaplin did on its main subject. Rather, this film is more an ode to his complex marriage with Felicia Montealegre, his expertise at his craft, and how the love and support the two genuinely shared really brought them together and inspired his work like no other force truly could. Suffice it to say then that with the aid of emotionally potent work on both sides of the camera, this film is not only a wonderful surprise, but one that I can promise will leave you in tears. As for whether those tears are from the genuinely moving romance, the takes on it’s main subject’s own body of work which are nothing short of breathtaking, the poignant yet powerful work done by the cast, or some mix of all three and then some that I will leave for you to discover.
The plot is as follows: Utilizing a fictional filming/interview with an older Leonard Bernstein near the end of his life, Maestro truly gets its intriguing symphony underway by taking us back in time to the long-ago year of 1943 and to the distinct locale that is New York City. It is here where we are introduced to a younger Bernstein who, at this point, was just merely an assistant conductor to no less a musical group than the New York Philharmonic. Oh and also secretly involved in a romantic relationship with a clarinet player by the name of David Oppenheim. Yet in that typical fashion Lady Fate engages in so well, it isn’t long before we soon see this seemingly idyllic life is thrown not one, but two distinct curveballs. The first being that Leonard is swiftly forced to make the transition from merely assisting to actually conducting the Philharmonic when the equally as iconic conductor Bruno Walter suddenly became sick. A transition that results not only in our intrepid hero being quite successful for a back-up, but also earning an immensely high degree of respect and adoration in equal measure from the audience thus earmarking him for bigger things in the eyes of the Philharmonic to say nothing of classical music in general. The second is that, whilst mingling at a party one evening that was being hosted by Claudio Arrau, we see that Bernstein’s eye is quickly caught by an aspiring actress named Felicia Montealegre. A woman who, not only shares Bernstein’s fondness for word puzzles, but just as quickly captures his heart despite knowing perfectly well the kind of man that she is getting with and being completely accepting of that to boot. As a result, it isn’t long before the two have gone from merely dating to married and with three kids named Jamie, Nina, and Alexander respectively. As time marches on however and Leonard begins to rapidly ascend to a spot resembling something of royalty within the classical musical world we see that it isn’t long before his vices, namely alcohol and drugs plus still pursuing extramarital affairs with both men and women, start to cause a bit of a dent to appear in his otherwise well-conducted personal life. Thus can a man who rarely if ever hits a sour note in his professional life find a way to do the same for his personal life or is this going to be one instance where the music is about to come to a swift and tragic stop? That I shall leave for you to discover for yourself dear reader…..
Now right off, it should be said that the work done by the undeniably talented crew behind the camera on this cinematic outing is nothing short of magical. This starts with the fact that this movie does a masterful job at showcasing its main subject’s distinct flair for metamorphosis courtesy of more than once changing up its own visual and dramatic flair (or dare I say flairs) throughout the film’s runtime. As a result, we see that the cinematography department on this film makes the creative choice to shoot the beginning of the couple’s relationship, which occurred in the 1940s, in black and white. Indeed not only is the dialogue uttered very reminiscent of movies that were made at that time, but there are also some moments sprinkled in this section that provide the film with a distinctly flighty if not eccentric atmosphere to the proceedings that is sure to have fans of “old school cinema” such as myself immensely satisfied with such examples including a moment where Leonard and Felicia find themselves being inserted into a moment from the musical On the Town. With that in mind though, we see that, when the film makes its way to the 60s and 70s, the cinematography department ingeniously decides to not only transition the film into color, but to also incorporate a flair that is a bit more present day if not grounded and realistic in nature. A transition that the film brilliantly permits to also be reflected in the relationship between Leonard and Felicia as a set of circumstances really begin to take a toll on them and their happiness. A toll which, without going into spoilers, eventually leads to the most heartbreaking verbal squabble between a couple since the ones witnessed in 2019’s Marriage Story. Besides the gorgeous work done by the cinematography department however, this film is also the blessed recipient of truly skillful work from the editing department as headed by Michelle Tesoro from The Queen’s Gambit show on Netflix. Indeed not only is a masterclass job, but Tesoro also succeeds at ensuring that the work done by her team is able to magnify the already apparent beauty of the footage shot by Cooper. Along with these other ingredients, praise must also be afforded to the work done in terms of the musical accompaniment for this film. I say this because, with the exception of a few songs scattered about here and there, this film’s entire soundtrack is made up of music that was either composed or conducted by the real-life Bernstein with examples from “On the Waterfront” and “West Side Story” definitely coming to mind. As a result, not only is the soundtrack a genuine treat for the ears, but it also manages to help the film give off the vibe that you are getting to see this music master in his element as much as other key elements to the film overall. Through it all however, the one key component to the work done behind the camera that really soars is the work done by Cooper at the helm. Indeed not only he does have a passion for lengthy, drama-fueled push-ins to say nothing of utilizing an off-balance framing that would have someone like P.T. Anderson smile with approval, but he also engages in immaculately moving the camera in such a way that it almost feels like it is moving through time rather than through the air to catch a necessary shot. Suffice it to say that it may only be his 2nd time working as the director on a film, but with the degree of talent that he has managed to showcase so far I think we might be looking at the rebirth of one of the more underrated performers of his generation into a directorial talent to definitely keep an serious eye on.
Of course, the other element that most assuredly helps this slice of cinema stay on track would have to be the immensely impressive performances given by the cast of players in front of the camera. This, to no surprise I am sure, starts with the work done by Bradley Cooper in the role of Leonard Bernstein and, much in the same way as he did with his performance in his first directorial effort from 2018, manages to give quite the riveting and captivating turn here. Indeed be you the kind of person who knows every single entry in Bernstein’s iconic catalogue of work or someone who has never heard of this guy until your significant other decided to log into your Netflix and watch this thinking it was a nice date night movie, there is no denying the skill that Cooper brings to his work in front of the camera on this. I mean not only does he bring an innate effortlessness that permits him to become this iconic individual, but he brings a congenial charm that is wonderfully showcased through a caring and genuinely affable vibe that Cooper conveys throughout. Even so though, we see that Cooper also does a wonderful job at showcasing the moments of pain and sadness that occur throughout this character’s life be it the humiliation his daughter inflicts on him because of his dalliances with other men or when things a bit more heartbreaking hit close to home. To be sure, there might be some who raise an eyebrow with some of the prosthetics being deployed, but there is nevertheless an authentic heart and pathos to the role that Cooper is able to successfully work with and it is a genuine joy to see unfold here. Proving to be Cooper’s equal in every way here is the work done by Carey Mulligan. I mean not only is her point of view in this provided the same gravitas as Leonard’s arc, but there is something truly heartwarming about witnessing her own aspirations and wishes come true to say nothing of seeing the truly delightful chemistry that exists between her and Cooper. Yet, also very much in the same vein as Cooper, we see that Mulligan is also able to convey the right degree of heartbreak as well with a few moments in this that are very much the dictionary definition of “soul crushing”. Suffice it to say that it is a captivating and riveting performance from one of the more underrated talents of her generation. Now although there is some good work done by the support cast in this, it should also be said that the majority are sadly not able to make as much of an impact as they should’ve. Indeed, as Leonard’s oldest, we get a turn from Maya Hawke that is undeniably riveting. Even so though, it still feels like at best there is something missing from her turn here and at worst that the material that would given a lot more dimension to her character was accidentally cut. Indeed if there is a singular individual who makes the most of how much screen time they are given, it is none other than Sarah Silverman in the role of Leonard’s sister Shirley. Yes she might at first seem like a random casting choice, but it isn’t long before her comedic skills are engaged in an ingenious manner and she actually, without going into spoilers, becomes quite the intriguing individual in this narrative. Suffice it to say then that there might be a few issues scattered about here and there with the work done on this slice of cinema overall, but the performances given by this undeniably collection of talent definitely do their best and then some to make up for them. An effort that, by and large, they manage to be quite successful in.
All in all is Maestro a perfect cinematic crescendo by any stretch of the imagination? Sadly as intriguing as that would be, I am afraid that is not the case. With that in mind, is this the most discordant slice of cinema about a member of the music industry since The Village People teamed up with Steve Guttenberg for Can’t Stop the Music in 1980 or even the worst film with Bradley Cooper in it since 2009’s Case 39 and/or 2015’s Aloha? Thankfully, I can also say that is definitely not the case here even if I have a soft spot, however small, for at least two of those movies (sorry not sorry Aloha). All jokes aside though dear reader, there is no denying that this slice of cinema is one that, for any issues that it may be stricken with, is definitely one that is sure to leave you, the viewer equally captivated and reaching for the tissues respectively. Indeed the work done behind the camera is truly top-tier in every sense of the word and even though the majority of the support cast does good, albeit tragically underwritten, work, there is no denying that the two lead turns provided here by Cooper and Mulligan are nothing short of electrifying. Suffice it to say then that if you are someone who is hoping that this is a full-on biopic then I am sorry, but you are going to be disappointed by what you are given here. On the other hand, if you are someone who wants to see a powerful look at how love and passion can truly bring out the best in a person even if that person is a once-in-a-generation musical talent then definitely give this slice of cinema a chance. I promise you won’t regret it. On a scale of 1-5 I give Maestro “2023” a solid 4 out of 5.
