MAESTRO

Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Maestro USA
Location: SilverCity
Showtimes: 6:30 & 8:45 pm

Director: Bradley Cooper
Cast:  Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke
Running time:  129 minutes
Language: English 

Awards: Las Vegas Film Critics Society: Best Actor (Bradley Cooper), Best Screenplay: Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer; National Board of Review: Top Films 2023; Palm Springs International Film Festival: Best Actress (Carey Mulligan); AFI Awards: Movie of the Year; Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards: Top Ten Films 2023: Capri Hollywood: Visionary Award (Bradley Cooper), Best Actress: Carey Mulligan, Producer Award (Bradley Cooper); New York Film Critics Online: Top Ten Films 2023; Nevada Film Critics Society: Best Actor, Bradley Cooper. Six other wins, 108 nominations

“A movie that is as exhilarating as it is unconventional, a fitting portrait of a man who was determined to always live life on his own terms, no matter the consequences.”—Peter Howell, Toronto Star

“Maestro” follows the complex love story of renowned American composer Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and actress Felicia Montealegre (Carrie Mulligan), spanning 30 years of their relationship from when they first met at a party in 1946, through their engagement, marriage, and children. 

This is the second feature film from Bradley Cooper as director, and he pulls out all the stops to present his auteur vision of Bernstein’s life. The film switches from bright colours to black and white, uses surrealist imagery next to grounded scenes, and contrasts the noise of arguments with the passionate music of Bernstein’s compositions. 

A change from the typical biographical drama, “Maestro” seeks to communicate the feeling of a life rather than focusing on the historical details. The film does not shy away from depicting the fights and hardships that permeated Leonard and Felicia’s long marriage, nor does it seek to conceal Bernstein’s sexuality and frequent affairs with young, handsome men. 

An exploration of the complexities of a queer identity in a society that limits free expression, the film sympathizes with Bernstein’s struggles while also giving voice to the drama and resentment felt by Bernstein’s family. Cooper, who convincingly ages under Kazu Hiro’s award-winning make up, and Carey Mulligan deliver compelling performances that cut to the core. A symphony in its own right, this passionate tale is a vibrant portrait of love, heartbreak, family, and music