Maestro

The cinematography is exquisite, the direction is assured, and the acting is top-notch. And yet, this biopic left me wondering why is Leonard Bernstein such a big deal?

Of course, I know the simple answer to that question. He was the first American-born conductor to receive international acclaim, but Bernstein was oh so much more than that. His accomplishments in both classical and popular music are numerous. I’ve listened to his compositions many times. I am a big fan of West Side Story and On the Town. He wrote the scores for those. He was a gifted individual who realized many triumphs in his lifetime. I was looking forward to Maestro.

This biography was clearly a labor of love for Bradley Cooper. He produced it, co-wrote it, directed and stars in it. He’s received many accolades for his achievement. An Oscar nomination is all but a certainty at this point. I’ll admit his transformation in the role is uncanny. It’s like he’s channeling the man. Carey Mulligan is equally good as his wife, Felicia Montealegre. I admire both performances, so I praise the actors for their craft.

Audiences come to a biographical film with certain expectations. I would assume the portrait of an icon who achieved so much in the music world would delve into his successes and work in that realm. The chronicle sprinkles a little of that in. Leonard Bernstein’s scores for the musicals On the Town and West Side Story can be heard, as well as the one he wrote for the drama On the Waterfront. The most thrilling example of his talent is perhaps a scene near the end when he’s conducting the London Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s “Symphony No. 2” at Ely Cathedral. Nonetheless, his work is not the driving force behind this saga.

The overwhelming focus of the narrative is on the connection between Leonard and his wife, Felicia. They had a family together, including three children: Jamie (Maya Hawke), Alexander (Sam Nivola), and Nina (Alexa Swinton). However, Bernstein was a gay man or at least bisexual. This was not public knowledge at the time, but his wife was aware and willingly accepted an open marriage. Understandably, his sexual infidelities would ultimately put a significant strain on their relationship. These include an affair with classical music and television producer David Oppenheim (Matt Bomer) and another with Tommy Cothran (Gideon Glick), a youthful program director at a radio station.

The account filters everything almost entirely through how it affected Leonard’s life with Felicia. Their initial courtship, marriage, estrangement, and reunion under tragic real-life circumstances are all detailed. At least the take of the screenplay Cooper wrote with Josh Singer is unique. I’ll give it that. This is not a movie based on its Wikipedia article. Nevertheless, it adopts a frustratingly narrow perspective. There is so much more to Leonard Berstein’s life. The presentation left me cold.

Al Pacino in Scent Of A Woman, Leonardo DiCaprio in J. Edgar, Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady, Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour…They weren’t just acting; They were ACTING! Similarly, Bradley Cooper’s depcition is the most flamboyantly theatrical of his career. It is remarkable to an extent, but it would be more of a triumph if it served a more well-rounded biopic. The movie details this sliver of Bernstein’s life and how these various relationships weighed on Felicia Montealegre. But this dramatization had me doing research afterward for answers to my questions about their perplexing marriage. After all, this is the movie’s focus, and it fails to even clarify that alliance. Maestro is an impressive exercise in the technical aspects of filmmaking. The two central performances are top-tier. However, as a compelling, multifaceted portrayal of a complicated personality, it falls short.

12-20-23