Leonard Bernstein is considered one of the greatest composers/conductors in history. He has created some amazing scores and music. His music is just the tip of the iceberg regarding his life. This film delves into all the sordid affairs and various ups and downs in his relationship with his wife. Bradley Cooper has been working on this biopic for a while and Maestro is the fruits of his labor.

Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) was the assistant conductor at the New York Philharmonic Orchestra until the conductor fell ill and he was thrust into the role of conductor. The rest is history. He became a very sought-after composer/conductor in Hollywood after this and created some of the most memorable scores including the score of West Side Story. His life outside his is much more fascinating than his music career though.

Carey Mulligan plays Felicia Montealegre. Cooper’s Bernstein and her hit it off right away at a party they are attending. She knows all about all of his sexual proclivities. They still become husband and wife though. They raise a family but she is like a rock or inspiration if you will in his life. Cooper as the director anchors the film in this relationship. Together Cooper and Mulligan are magnanimous. It’s one of the best couples I’ve seen put to screen in recent memory. They make a great pair. Both should get Academy Awards in their respective categories next year.

Cooper has directed one film in his career thus far before this one and that’s A Star Is Born where he also starred in it. That film had a musical center to it as well as a great story. In this film the music was important, but the craft of filmmaking was at the true center of this movie. There are creative decisions with the editing, and cinematography that are of an auteur filmmaker in the making. Various sequences were shot in Black and White as well as color but how they looked is what the true genius behind this film is all about. The Black and White scenes looked like they were straight out of a film from the 40s. The Color scenes were vivid and bright and jumped off the screen. This is the best-looking film I’ve seen all year thus far. All the work Cooper has done with so many other great filmmakers has paid off. 

With this being a film about a great musician music is a big key to how it’s structured. Cooper littered the movie with all the great music from the past of this amazing man. A few scenes where he is conducting or teaching music are very energetic. He is seemingly channeling all the great conductors and composers of the past in this role. He is putting all his acting prowess on display as this man who is a master of his craft but has personal issues as well.

The film has three acts but the story is separated into three eras of this man. Separating the story into these three acts allows Cooper and company to show how amazing some of the craft departments can create the look of these characters. The makeup by Kazo Hiro of Cooper as Bernstein is first-rate and some of the best makeup I’ve seen all year. That’s not all though the the hair styling and makeup on Mulligan is amazing as well. The entire cast all look pretty terrific and authentic as these people from the past. That’s one of the keys to how good this movie truly is.

Meastro is an amazing achievement of filmmaking by Cooper. He has combined some elements together that I’ve rarely seen before. The editing by Michelle Tesoro, the cinematography by Matthew Lebatique, the production design by Kevin Thompson, and the hairstyling and makeup from Kazu Hiro and many others are incredible. All these technical departments combine to make of of the best-looking films of all year.  Combined with great performances from Cooper and Mulligan as the leads of this story. This movie has all come together to make of of the best musical biopics ever. It’s that good of a film and it will surely be nominated in a lot of categories in next year’s Academy Awards.

4 ½ stars

Dan Skip Allen