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Maestro

A handsomely rendered biopic of Leonard Bernstein
by
ABR Arts 07 December 2023

Maestro

A handsomely rendered biopic of Leonard Bernstein
by
ABR Arts 07 December 2023
Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein (photograph by Jason McDonald/Netflix).
Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein (photograph by Jason McDonald/Netflix).

The holidays are fast approaching, which means it’s time for Hollywood A-listers to adopt thick accents (and don even thicker prosthetics) to re-enact the lives of historical celebrities in the pursuit of awards season glory. This year alone, we have had Oppenheimer and Napoleon and are staring down the barrel of Ferrari, Priscilla, Rustin, and Bob Marley: One Love, each promising to grapple with the challenge of effectively capturing an entire human life in the span of two multiplex-friendly hours (and in a manner sanctioned by their subjects’ estates and living relatives). Bradley Cooper – star of The Hangover trilogy-turned blockbuster auteur – throws his hat into the ring with Maestro, an adoring albeit uninventive biopic of the renowned American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein (1918–90).

From the New Issue

Comment (1)

  • Great review of a lovely film. For me, Mulligan's performance was the standout - a story essentially not about her became everything about her. No doubt an Oscar nomination will abound.
    Posted by Kass Hall
    30 December 2023

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