Maestro is based on the life of the legendary American conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre. It is produced by Martin Scorsese and Steven Spilberg and directed by Bradley Cooper. Technically, the film is superb. The cinematography is stunning and the editing in certain scenes leaves viewers amazed. Leonard Bernstein’s compositions have been used and they enhance the impact. However, the script is not upto the mark. The narrative style, though novel, is such that one doesn’t get fully involved in Leonard’s life. The absence of subtitles in our show was a major downer. In scenes, where the protagonist is holding a cigarette in his mouth and talking, it becomes a struggle to understand the dialogue. Bradley Cooper however delivers the finest performance of his career and one of the best performances in recent times. There’s an incredible one-take long shot of his which is sure to induce claps in cinemas. Carey Mulligan, too, puts her best foot forward and both will surely be nominated for the Oscars. All in all, Maestro is worth watching for Bradley Cooper’s award-winning performance. It’ll have a limited release in the USA on November 22 and will be available directly on Netflix from December 20.
My rating – *** out of 5!