‘Maestro’ is a biographical drama film based on the life of composer Leonard Bernstein that is directed, co-written, and starring Bradley Cooper in the lead role, as well as Carey Mulligan. Bradley Cooper’s portrayal of legendary conductor and composer Bernstein stands out, embodying the composer through voice, cadence, looks, and subtle mannerisms. Moreover, Cooper shows the pain, the hardship, and the heartache Bernstein tried to hide from the world and himself. Carey Mulligan is wonderful as Felicia giving an empathetic and emotional performance loving a man who could not love her back with the same totality.
The elegance of the cinematography and the haunting power of Bernstein’s compositions is a great blend. There are some beautiful frameable shots in this movie. The black and white and the 1970’s eras transport viewers and skillfully thread these eras together showcasing directorial finesse.
I thought the best part of the movie is the sound design as it uses the concept of spatial audio and surround sound to tell its story. I used Bose noise-canceling headphones to watch this movie and it created an elevated immersive sound experience with high-fidelity audio performance.
Maestro is unique and reminiscent of classic Hollywood that blends drama, romance and music. Overall, I enjoyed it – it’s a solid movie.
