Maestro - 💥💥💥

Director: Bradley Cooper

Writers: Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer

Release Date: 20th December 2023 

Hot Rating: 💥💥💥

Synopsis: Follows the life of acclaimed American conductor and composer, Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper), through his marriage to Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan). 

Review: This is a heartfelt biopic that is not without its flaws, namely, its muted presentation of Bernstein's music and his homosexuality. While the actor Bradley Cooper is amazing in capturing the charisma and genuine charm of the film's central figure, Bradley Cooper the director does not give a complete portrait of Bernstein himself, the musician. Cooper focuses more on the man rather than the musician, glossing over aspects of Bernstein's life including his sexuality and the creation of his masterful works. Part of this conundrum is Cooper's choice to centralise Maestro around the marriage of Bernstein and Montealegre, framing the film foremost as a romance with nods — frustratingly so — to Bernstein's career.  While beautifully shot and acted, Maestro falls short in fully capturing the essence of Bernstein himself — the boundary-pushing artist whose conducting electrified audiences and whose scores for West Side Story and On the Waterfront became iconic.

Image: YouTube