Classical music doesn’t produce a lot of figures who are known in the mainstream. Yo-Yo Ma. Itzhak Perlman. And, of course, Leonard Bernstein. His debut at 25 as a fill-in conductor at Carnegie Hall with no rehearsal cemented him as one of the most important conductors of all time, in addition to being the first American-born conductor to lead a major American symphony orchestra.
His fame was further solidified with his contributions to popular music — writing the score for “West Side Story,” for instance. So I have been looking forward to “Maestro” by second-time director Bradley Cooper. It will air on Netflix this Wednesday.
The film opens with a young Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) receiving last-minute instructions as he strides toward the podium to conduct the New York Philharmonic unrehearsed. Following this triumphant performance, Bernstein meets the actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn (Carey Mulligan). They fall deeply in love and promise to support one another, but it quickly becomes apparent that there is not enough space for the two of them in the limelight. As their family grows along with Lenny’s fame, his dalliances with other men put their family’s wellbeing at risk. Finding a way to love music, love people and love his family — while they feel safe enough to love him in return — is at the heart of this movie.
This movie begins with some stunning and imaginative direction and editing. I genuinely loved the beginning of the love story between Lenny and Felicia. The black and white is gorgeous, and there are some shots that are absolutely breathtaking. I particularly enjoyed one where we see Felicia both figuratively and literally being put in Leonard’s shadow as he is conducting.
But as the movie progresses, that flair goes with it, and it devolves into a relatively standard biopic. Cooper seemed to want to capture everything about Bernstein in this film, and I believe it suffers for it.
The performances from both Cooper and Mulligan are fantastic. Particularly in the conducting scenes, Cooper fully inhabits the maestro. Mulligan’s performance is much more subdued, as we see a woman struggling with losing first her career, later her dignity, and finally her life. It is a gorgeous portrayal, and the awards buzz surrounding it is fully earned.
More than anything, I wish the story had chosen one aspect of Bernstein’s life to focus on. There are elements of Bernstein’s struggle to define himself as a composer. Elements of expressing his love not only for his wife and children but for so many people. Elements of his struggle to find his place in the world of conducting. Each part is well done, but none seem to flow particularly well together, leaving me feeling like something was missing when the film ended.
The story of Leonard Bernstein’s life is complicated, so trying to condense that down into a two hour film will also be complicated. I just wish Cooper had chosen one area to focus on, as that would have created a more cohesive story.
ALISE CHAFFINS is a Morgantown writer who loves movies and sharing her opinions, as well as a member of the International Film Society Critics Association. She reviews a movie from a streaming service every Saturday and one newly in theaters every Sunday. Find more at MacGuffin or Meaning on Substack.
