Maestro (2023)

A young composer (Bradley Cooper) soon emerges as one of the most preeminent conductors in the U.S. His marriage to an established actress (Carey Mulligan) proves complex and thorny as his fame becomes emblematic. Based on the life of iconic conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein and co-written and directed by Bradley Cooper (A STAR IS BORN). This is a superior film biography. The film eschews the usual "and then I did this", "and then I did that" gallery of career highlights and instead focuses directly on the complicated relationship between Bernstein and his wife. The film may be called MAESTRO but it could just as well been called MAESTRO AND WIFE, that's how important Felicia Montealegre is to the narrative and indeed, it's Mulligan (in an Oscar worthy performance) who received top billing, not Cooper. Filming in both B&W and color as well as different aspect ratios (1.33 and 1.85), Cooper digs deeply into Bernstein's psyche and his control of the film frame is impeccable. Although the film is due to debut on Netflix on December 20th, I urge anyone remotely interested in seeing it to see it in a theatre as it has one of the best sound designs (music is an integral part of the film) I've heard in a theatre in years, so spacious that no home theater system, however sophisticated, will be able to replicate it. With Sarah Silverman, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke and Gideon Glick.