Step into the life of legendary conductor and composer, Leonard Bernstein. Directed by, co-written by, and starring Bradley Cooper, Maestro explores the highs and lows of Bernstein's relationship with actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn over multiple decades.
Following a successful stint in the director's chair for 2018's A Star is Born, Bradley Cooper has stepped back behind the camera to bring to life yet another love story. He's proven himself to be a very capable director in the past, and that's no different here. Maestro may not be as polished narrative- and structure-wise as his previous film, but Cooper has done a great job of painting a picture of Bernstein's love life while paying homage to art and old Hollywood. The overall angle of this film is interesting and unconventional for a biopic about a man as prolific as Bernstein. Typically a film like this would be focused on the music, with the man's love life operating as a subplot along the way. However with Maestro, Cooper puts the relationship at the forefront to highlight Bernstein's admirable qualities and flaws through the eyes of his wife. This is both a great decision for crafting something unique and a poor one for crafting something impactful. By omitting any focus on the cultural impact of his music, it feels like there's gaps in the story that are hinted at but never divulged. In part, this movie is all of the behind-the-scenes moments you don't see in a typical biopic about someone's life, which I guess is Cooper's intention. I definitely don't think this ruins the movie, but it does leave a hole that could have been filled in a little more.
That being said, the approach makes way for plenty of gripping character drama as it unpacks Bernstein and Montealegre Cohn's lifelong relationship. The opening act is brilliant for a multitude of reasons, one of those being the wholesome and fun nature of the narrative. As it introduces our main characters and sets them on their journey of love, every scene is full of so much life and joy that it successfully gets you invested in their relationship. On top of that, this opening act is shot, scored and presented to look and feel like it was made in the 50s. The audio and visuals are deliberately a little choppy and the cinematography is very old-timey, adding to the old Hollywood aesthetic. Cooper executes that vibe incredibly well and all the while doesn't take it too seriously. He has plenty of fun with the visual style, injecting creative scene transitions aplenty and putting a sleek modern spin on the retro cinematography. If the film stuck to this look and tone, it could have been up there in my top five films of the year. Unfortunately it dips out of the black and white footage about 45 minutes in, and that's where it becomes a little more straight-laced and loses some spark.
The second act feels very deflated in comparison to the liveliness of the first and the hard-hitting emotion of the third. The entire middle portion just comes across as very flat - there aren't as many big, defining moments and it makes the film feel much longer than it is. It never gets to the point of being bad - it's still great to watch the performances develop and see where the central relationship goes - but it's really lacking the intrigue that made the first act so unique. The fun and experimental filmmaking style is also stripped back for something that's a little more basic, for lack of a better word. That fun visual style doesn't return, but thankfully the emotion and tension intensifies in the third act towards a captivating ending that's full of heart. The character drama is at its strongest in the climax, with all of the events that preceded the third act culminate in some emotional hard-hitting scenes that are very effective in what they set out to achieve.
Despite the ebbs and flows of the narrative, the performances remain consistently fantastic across the entire film. Bradley Cooper does a great job at bringing Leonard Bernstein to life - through nuances in his dialogue, he brings out both Bernstein's wonderfully charming qualities and his more unlikeable traits. As good as he is, there aren't many big, memorable moments from his performance that you could highlight in a clip for the Oscars. Part of why I believe he won't be winning anything for his performance is because of how he's completely overshadowed by Carey Mulligan. She steals the show across every single scene from start to finish, putting in an earnest, loveable, heartbreaking and emotionally deep performance as Felicia Montealegre Cohn. What's amazing about her performance is the way she portrays Montealegre Cohn differently across each period of her life. As the character goes through some huge life changes, she makes great adjustments to her performance to reflect them. Cooper's performance may have been the one I was anticipated to see, but Mulligan's role is the one that moved me the most. As much as Best Actress is a stacked category this year, I could see her having an outside shot to steal it.
Lastly, I need to highlight my favourite aspect of the film - the truly world class makeup and hairstyling. Honestly, this is one of the best examples of makeup I've ever seen on screen. As the narrative spans five decades, makeup is applied to Bradley Cooper and company ahead of every scene and it looks flawless. I couldn't spot a single moment in which I thought "that looks like makeup". The team did such an incredible job with the hair, ears, nose and wrinkles that I regularly forgot it was Cooper under all of that. Even on Carey Mulligan the makeup is exceptional, and it only gets more exceptional with time as they're made to look older and older. I don't see how this film doesn't run away with the Oscar here.
In the end, Maestro isn't quite as incredible as it could have been, but it's a top notch biopic nonetheless. It brings Bernstein's relationship to life in a way that's engaging, heartwarming and deeply emotional when it needs to be. The first act is a stellar achievement in storytelling and filmmaking. The second act is much slower and not as engaging, but it's improved upon with a gripping and emotionally charged final act. The makeup is a sight to behold and the accompanying lead performances are brilliant. While you won't gain much insight into Bernstein's music, this is a thoroughly worthwhile watch for anyone interested in the life of one of the greatest conductor-composers.
8/10
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