Writer/Director: Bradley Cooper
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer
‘Breathtaking Biopic’
When discussing composers that shine, one can’t forget Leonard Bernstein. Born to be a star years ago, Bernstein was a maestro whose melodies were far from shallow. Inspired by Mozart, he was a composer devoted to art. Despite facing tragedies, the pianist never lost passion for symphonies. By divine ability to walk the line, Bernstein composed melodies that shine. On a personal level, I find Bernstein relatable. During childhood, I bonded with a father fond of singing. Seeking to entertain, he left people singing in the rain. With control, he poured his soul into melodies with a goal. Drawn to the sound of music, he found enjoyment in composing melodies that were profound. Not since Elvis Presley had I seen anybody as passionate about melodies. A lover of Indian music, he enjoyed singing for public. He had no choice but to start singing at family dinners at request of relatives eager to hear his voice. I’ll never forget the first time I saw my father perform. A powerful performance, it stunned people into silence. I would marvel at a father with a beautiful voice of an angel. Like the Live Aid concerts of Queen, it had to be seen. I formed a bond with a whip-smart father I came to worship. I would find time to bond with a father that had a beautiful mind. It seems as if it was yesterday when I cherished music my dad would play. Looking back, the composer reminds me of my father’s passion for singing. A bright ray of light, the composer reminds me of my father today.
Now, Bradley Cooper celebrates the commemorated maestro achieving acknowledgements years ago in “Maestro”. Ambitious, heartwarming and sweeping, it commemorates symphonies of legendary classical composers. Cooper celebrates composers whose symphonies transformed the world forever. Boasting exquisite production-design, engrossing storytelling and phenomenal performances, it’s a breathtaking biopic. Although “Maestro” is mesmerizing, it isn’t flawless. Its poorly paced, failing addressing Bernstein’s homosexuality. Nevertheless, it provides heartwarming entertainment for the composer’s fans.
Set during the 1940’s, “Maestro” recounts the true story of a maestro that composed memorable melodies. Bradley Cooper embodies Leonard Bernstein, an artist with ambitions. Accompanied by supportive wife Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), Bernstein endeavors becoming a celebrated conductor of orchestra. However, Bernstein’s musical dreams are threatened by gay love affairs putting his marriage under stress. As marriage falls apart, Bernstein questions whether he can pursue art.
Bradley Cooper admires musicians. A fantastic filmmaker, Cooper has captured singers. His debut “A Star is Born” depicted self-destructive musicians forming romances far from shallow. With “Maestro”, however, Cooper crafts his first biopic. It’s the filmmaker’s first attempt dramatizing the lives of classical composers, but he succeeds. Visually, it’s a feast for eyes as stunning as live music my father would organize. Evoking “A Star is Born”, Cooper uses montages capturing musicians. Recalling Jackson Maine’s romance with Ally, Bernstein bonds with Felicia over symphonies. Montages elevate the scene where Bernstein introduces Felicia to symphonies. It sparked memories of relationships with fathers impacting identity. Montages are tricky. As Stanley Donen’s “Singin’ in the Rain” suggested, montages elevated period pieces. Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land” suggested montages elevate musicals. Nevertheless, it succeeds. Alongside cinematographer Matthew Libatique, Cooper commemorates composers. Cooper celebrates composers, manufacturing theatrical viewing.
If conductors don’t attract you towards theaters, however, there’s reasons to see “Maestro”. Assisted by production-designer Kevin Thompson, Cooper recreates Bernstein’s performance by live orchestra. For instance, live orchestra elevates the performance scene. During this unforgettable sequence, Bernstein performs symphonies with self-confidence leaving audience stunned in silence. One appreciates orchestras recalling Milos Forman’s “Amadeus”. It reminded me about my father’s commitment to deliver live music entertainment leaving my family in amazement. Live orchestras are complicated. As Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash” demonstrated, orchestras elevate jazz music movies. Robert Wise’s “Sound of Music” suggested orchestras elevate old-fashioned musicals. However, it succeeds. Furthermore, music is magnificent. Celebrating Roman Polanski’s “The Pianist”, it demonstrates pianists’ symphonies. Through production-design, Cooper celebrates Bernstein.
Another extraordinary “Maestro” aspect is storytelling. Cooper’s screenwriting strength is demonstrating composers by non-linear storytelling. In Hollywood, movies rarely address stress affecting musicians’ success. As case in exemplar: Bryan Singer’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” depicted Freddie Mercury as a musician overcoming adversity without being under pressure of homosexuality. Fortunately, however, “Maestro” avoids pitfalls. Commemorating James Mangold’s “Walk the Line”, Cooper uses non-linear storytelling capturing a composer’s journey. Like Johnny Cash’s recollections of childhood trauma, Bernstein recalls with nostalgia orchestra. The movie demonstrates two intertwining timelines: black-and-white sequences of Bernstein’s past and present-day aging in color. It reminded me of my father recounting with nostalgia melodies impacting his persona. Non-linear storytelling is complicated. As Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” suggested, non-linear stories elevate historical blockbusters. Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” demonstrated non-linear storytelling elevates period pieces. Nevertheless, it succeeds. Through commendable storytelling, Cooper commemorates melodies.
One appreciates astonishing performances.
Bradley Cooper delivers a career-defining performance as Leonard Bernstein. Cooper achieved appreciation in David O. Russel’s “Silver Linings Playbook”. Portraying legendary composers isn’t easy, but he succeeds. This is Cooper unlike you’ve seen him: intense, charismatic and devoted in his greatest role to date. Evoking Taron Egerton in Dexter Fletcher’s “Rocketman”, Cooper embodies a flamboyant musician whose sky-rocketing success is threatened by homosexuality. With riveting expressions, he captures angst, dedication and resentments of Bernstein. It’s a phenomenal performance.
Carey Mulligan is captivating as an actress whose dreams are threatened by marital stress. While Cooper gets the showier role, Mulligan is equally excellent as a woman experiencing a toll. Celebrating Jennifer Connelley in Ron Howard’s “A Beautiful Mind”, Mulligan embodies a woman struggling finding time to care for a husband with a beautiful mind. As Felicia Montealegre, Mulligan excels using voice to capture a woman’s persona. Whether she’s marveling at Bernstein’s symphonies or screaming in terror at his infidelity, Mulligan embodies an actress. It’s an Oscar-worthy performance.
Finally, “Maestro” will blow everyone away by shining ray of light into a composer’s legacy today. Commemorating Taylor Hackman’s “Ray”, the movie celebrates a composer today. It tackles universal themes including career, depression and sexuality. Viewers aren’t required to be familiar with classical music to appreciate it. Therefore, everyone enjoys hearing “Maestro’s” melodies.
Despite its heartwarming message, however, “Maestro” can’t commemorate a world-famous maestro that composed tempo years ago. Cooper’s decisions integrating homosexuality subplots into the movie is provocative but doesn’t succeed. Therefore, sequences demonstrating Leonard Bernstein’s homosexual love affair are less engaging than his musical career. Whereas this LGBTQ subplot elevated Todd Field’s “Tar”, it clashes with this movie’s realism. Homosexuality was part of Bernstein’s identity, but it’s scarcely addressed in the movie. Consequently, “Maestro” can’t accomplish a tempo.
Nevertheless, fans of Leonard Bernstein will definitely recognize “Maestro” and so will audiences giving acknowledgements to music. A breathtaking biopic, it honors a powerful pianist that transformed the industry of classical music. Nearly 80 years after Leonard Bernstein transformed in an iconic classic music composer seeking acknowledgements from the public, it could incite people to relish nostalgic memory of parents passing on commemorated love for music.
A wonderful tribute to a wise composer with divine ability to walk the line, it’s a worthy reminder about the impact of music on Leonard Bernstein that overcame marriage decline by creating melodies that shine.
Like passion with which Mozart took part in symphonies he regarded art, it’s a melodious reminder of music that became a powerful part of Bernstein’s identity holding a precious place in his heart.
If movies can celebrate composers that were born to be stars years ago, hopefully the story of a maestro inspires people to honor parents that gave them love for musical tempo which was far from shallow.
As unforgettable as Leonard Bernstein’s musical arrangements, it has motivated me to honor joyful memories of a father that had a gift for performing melodies with a beautiful voice of an angel with whom I had a strong bond that’s unbreakable.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 