Maestro

The second movie in my double feature at the Broadway last night was Maestro.  I have been anticipating this for months but, while I did love many elements, I didn't enjoy it as a whole.  Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) is an up and coming conductor with the New York Philharmonic and a practicing homosexual when he meets the aspiring actress Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan) at a party.  They marry and have three children while Bernstein achieves tremendous fame and success and continues his relationships with men.  Felicia initially turns a blind eye but eventually his dalliances take a toll on the marriage as well as his relationship with his daughter Jamie (Maya Hawke).  However, Felicia reconciles with Bernstein after being moved by his legendary performance conducting Mahler's Resurrection Symphony at Ely Cathedral in England.  I really liked the theatricality and stylized direction of their courtship (with the black and white photography and many scenes taking place on stages as Felicia acts and Leonard conducts for an audience of one) but I was ultimately dissatisfied with the portrayal of the marriage (now in color) because it is very superficial and doesn't have much to say beyond the notion that loving a brilliant artist exacts a high price.  The audience is kept at a distance (literally) because so many scenes are staged to appear as if one is eavesdropping on private conversations with characters who appear and disappear very suddenly (it was hard for me to keep track of who was who including their children in some cases).  Many scenes are compelling but they are a series of vignettes rather than a cohesive story.  The music, consisting of selections from Bernstein's operettas and musicals as well as pieces by Mahler, Beethoven, and Schumann, is absolutely amazing and is definitely my favorite aspect of the movie.  The performances, especially Mulligan's, are outstanding but I didn't feel anything because there is no emotional connection to the characters.  This movie looks and sounds beautiful but it ultimately means nothing (it will probably win lots of awards).