Feb. 7: Maestro

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024
7 pm @ Galaxy Cinemas, Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Director: Bradley Cooper
USA 2023
English; 129 minutes
Rated: R for some language and drug use

Exploring of the complex love story of composer Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and actress Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), this film includes the hardships that permeated their long marriage due to Leonard’s affairs, but also sympathizes with his struggles of being queer in a society that limits free expression. Presenting an artistic vision of Bernstein’s life, Maestro is not your typical biographical drama, as it seeks to communicate the feeling of a life rather than focusing on the historical details. A symphony in its own right, this passionate tale is a vibrant portrait of love, heartbreak, family, and music.

A captivating drama that’s big, bold and intimate all at once. Rafer Guzman, Newsday

Maestro comes alive as Cooper, who also co-wrote the screenplay, filters Bernstein’s passion for life and all its grand indulgences into an intensely physical performance, which peaks in a sweat-drenched conducting sequence that bursts off the screen. Adam Graham, Detroit News

A movie about a great artist and, considering how effectively it tells the story in an unconventional way, it is a work of art. Jordan Hoffman, The Messenger