This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labour of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn't exist.
The Venice Film Festival holds a special place in Bradley Cooper's heart. It was the launching pad of his very first feature A Star Is Born (2018). That film went on to be a runaway success making bank at the box office and receiving a slew of awards including 8 Oscar nominations.
Five years later his sophomore film Maestro once again makes its world debut in Venice – only this time without Cooper alongside to promote the film. At the time of writing this review, the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes are still in full force and Cooper opted to stand in solidarity with his fellow actors and writers by not attending. A noble gesture on his part but a real shame because Maestro is a sublime follow-up from Cooper.
Maestro is equal parts a biographical drama about the life of renowned composer Leonard Bernstein (played in this film by Cooper himself) and a tender love story detailing the romance between Bernstein and his actress wife Felicia Montealegre played marvellously by Carey Mulligan.
There's a parallel universe where Maestro could've been made by Steven Spielberg who recently remade West Side Story. Bernstein composed the score for the original 1961 musical, one of his most revered scores today. But after Spielberg watched Cooper's A Star Is Born and saw his directorial abilities for himself, he told Cooper “You're directing Maestro, my boy”.
This is a beautifully dignified film and Bradley Cooper shines both behind and in front of the camera.
Leonard Bernstein was a musical jack-of-all-trades being a composer, conductor, pianist and teacher. And much like the subject of his film, Cooper fittingly is also showcasing his full range of skills here as a producer, co-writer with Josh Singer, director and of course playing the Maestro himself. What a flex.
It's remarkable to see the growth in Cooper's abilities as a filmmaker between his first and second films. He shows an incredible confidence as a director. He's taking bigger risks with his cinematography and his shots. He's unafraid to let the most emotionally confrontational scene involving an argument between Leonard and Felicia in their bedroom play out in a singular static wide shot. Where some directors would feel the need to go in for a juicy close-up of the actors screaming, Cooper keeps us at a distance to indicate we aren't meant to be here witnessing this private moment.
Cooper also embraces the theatricality of Bernstein's works both in the editing and the music – naturally.
Editor Michelle Tesoro's scene-to-scene transitions are sly and playful and Cooper peppers the film with some of Bernstein's most memorable music. Such as a dazzling dance number to New York New York from On the Town as he and Felicia fall in love over a shared love of creativity and the arts.
Later on, when Felicia becomes threatened by Leonard's homosexual marital affairs, the rival gang motif from West Side Story plays to add a little drama.
There are some very well-executed sequences such as the legendary moment when Leonard's career took off. A then 25-year-old Bernstein awoke to a phone call learning he was needed as a last-minute replacement to conduct the Philharmonic Symphony that very evening at Carnegie Hall with no rehearsal time. This was the moment he exploded into notoriety and Cooper executes this scene with such vigour. It sets the entire film off on an exciting note.
But this is just one of many triumphant musical set-pieces. A scene towards the climax sees a visibly aged Bernstein (A prosthetic-clad Cooper) working at the peak of his powers conducting an orchestra in a cathedral. This entire scene is gloriously cathartic with Cooper giving everything he has as an actor and a director.
Cooper is sensational in his portrayal. Bernstein was a man with an open heart. He gave so much love to the world and was beloved by so many but Cooper does a great job of showing his struggle to love and accept himself.
There's a lovely little scene between him and his teenage daughter Jamie (Maya Hawke) where he's addressing the rumours surrounding his sexuality. The final exchange between them is a moment of silence but the subtext on Cooper's face speaks volumes. Think Best Actor Oscar clip.
Cooper is splashed all over this film behind the scenes and as the star but it was a smart tactical move of him to give Carey Mulligan top billing. Given the film's title, some may be surprised at just how much screen time Mulligan is allotted – the title may as well of been “Mrs. Maestro”.
Thankfully this isn't a biopic where she is relegated to the cliché of being just “the great woman behind the great man”. This is a balanced love story which gives ample time to Felicia, her occupation as an actress and the marital hardships she endured when Leonard dabbled in extramarital dalliances with men.
Felicia was very much aware of her husband's queerness and she tolerated his proclivities for several years for the sake of their children but Mulligan plays the internal heartache so delicately. She's never been an actress who feels the need to “go big” or show off. Mulligan is a master of minimalism.
Mulligan lives in this role and brings such warmth to Felicia. It's a layered performance ranging from charmingly vivacious to anhedonic. It is in the second half when Felicia learns of a breast cancer diagnosis that is when Mulligan truly gets to shine. To see her usual twinkle in her eyes diminish is utterly devastating.
The main criticism of the film is its tendency to play the drama quite safely. The fallout of Felicia and Leonard's marriage only comes to a simmer rather than a boil. Maestro is very much a loving tribute to Leonard and Bernstein and Cooper was clearly too close to the Bernstein family that he didn't want to tarnish their memory or legacy of their parents.
Maestro illustrates a great deal of growth and maturity from Bradley Cooper as a storyteller. His second feature is crafted with an abundance of love, passion and respect. Don't be surprised if the nine-time Oscar nominee ends with several more nominations on his tally next year.
Maestro premiered at this year's Venice Film Festival and will debut on Netflix on December 20th, 2023.
