Bradley Cooper’s film about the life of Leonard Bernstein is why I’m firm in my opinion that pretty much most music biopics are just terrible. Bernstein is an interesting figure that we learn almost nothing about by the time the movie ends. We explore his torrid private life, sure, but Cooper opts to kind of step back from the artist that was Bernstein in favor of the person. That’s understandable considering “Maestro” is a pitch for an Oscar from the starting gate.
It’s very well polished, Cooper even opts to highlight a conductor who was famed for working for Hollywood, which is not entirely coincidental. At the very least, there is some obvious effort presented as Cooper isn’t a bad director despite placing himself front and center for a majority of the film. “Maestro” is very well directed and Cooper offers some fascinating nuggets and moments of pure humanity and vulnerability. One scene I quite loved was a disastrous lunch in where an acquaintance recommends Leonard change his name to sound less semitic and “more American.” I also loved the confrontation between Felicia and Leonard when, during a family getaway, Leonard invites who is quite obviously a lover of his.
Nevertheless, “Maestro” is centered more on scandal than artistry. That’s sad considering the marketing pushes a lot of the inherent artist that was Leonard Bernstein. There’s no insight in to his creative process, no look at how he rose to fame, there’s no commentary about music, or discussion about how Bernstein relates to music. Worse, there isn’t a ton of insight in to why and how Leonard and Felicia reached this point in their relationship. Why does she endure his obvious homosexual affairs? Is she lying to herself? Is she hoping to change him? Has she submitted to being a beard? And why did Leonard’s sister almost seem to encourage his trysts with other men?
“Maestro” is wise enough to present Leonard and Felicia courting each other more as a production covered with large layers of denial, and performance but with no actual insight as to why. Netflix’s film is a loaded gun bound to pack Oscar nods for Bradley Cooper who covers himself in make up to inhabit the guise of Leonard Bernstein, while Carey Mulligan offers the best and most genuine performance of the entire film. “Maestro” puts on a big show but it’s ultimately a hollow vehicle that doesn’t really have anything to say about music, its subjects, love, or sexuality.
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