Maestro

Venice Film Festival #12 – PalaBiennale

Something about films about composers and Venice just works. Cooper is an unbelievable talent, really his work in Maestro is phenomenal. It was evident in A Star is Born that he clearly has a gift for directing alongside being a wonderful actor, but I’m really shocked by how restrained and precise his direction was in this film. It’s so shocking how different his directing style feels in this film, more akin to someone like Todd Field, but he really nails this new style. I love how much he holds on his actors, which I feel like is sign of most actor turned directors, when you have performances as good as he does in this film it’s just so smart to hold on them and let them show the power of their performances.

Matthew Libatique did the cinematography for the film and it’s no surprise it’s gorgeous. Paired with the near flawless editing the film becomes a visual beauty. There are sequences that are engrained in me with how beautiful they were, specifically there’s a few scenes in black and white, one when we first meet Leonard, and another involving a shadow that had me in awe. The switch to colour as well happens at such an ingenious scene and actually has some reason for the switch which always makes it more enjoyable. Accompanying the movie is the music of Leonard and it’s no doubt it’s wonderful. The utilising of his music and when it’s played though is so impressive.

The performances are also excellent, both Cooper and Mulligan give such wonderful performances. Cooper is able to play Leonard throughout the ages with ease, the makeup surely helped, but it feels as if he had a journey in mind for his character which is felt even if we don’t see all of it and only parts of him throughout his life. Mulligan however is the real standout, most of her acting is very reserved, she does a lot without saying a lot, but when she does get to speak it’s even more impressive. She is the beating heart of this film and it’s refreshing for a biopic to also give stuff to other characters. It’s really just these two main performances for most of the film but I want to mention Matt Bomer who’s not in it a lot but my god he acts when he is on screen.

So refreshing to have a biopic not only be so well crafted but also has something to say instead of just being an account. I just wish the ending had the punch it thought it did, I was left underwhelmed