Maestro (2023)

November 22, 2023 (US) • Drama, Romance, Music • 129m

Overview

A towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. A love letter to life and art, Maestro at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.

Director

Bradley Cooper

Writers

Bradley Cooper, Josh Singer

Top Billed

Carey Mulligan

Keywords

husband wife relationship show business conductor marriage biography based on true story love historical lgbt 1940s cerebral intimate tortured genius

Where to watch

Free / Included

Netflix

Netflix Standard with Ads

Top Billed Cast

Carey Mulligan

Felicia Montealegre

Bradley Cooper

Leonard Bernstein

Matt Bomer

David Oppenheim

Vincenzo Amato

Bruno Zirato

Greg Hildreth

Isaac

Michael Urie

Jerry Robbins

Brian Klugman

Aaron Copeland

Nick Blaemire

Adolph Green

Mallory Portnoy

Betty Comden

Alexandra Santini

Claudio's Guest #1

Jarrod LaBine

Claudio's Guest #2

Sarah Silverman

Shirley Bernstein

Kate Eastman

Ellen Adler

William Hill

Joseph the Janitor

Valéry Lessard

Younger Actress

Renée Stork

Older Actress

Tim Rogan

Richard Hart

Sara Sanderson

Lil Hart

Yasen Peyankov

Serge Koussevitzky

Julia Aku

Olga

Benjamin Freemantle

Sailor

Harrison Coll

Sailor

Sebastian Villarini-Velez

Sailor

Dario Natarelli

Sailor

Ryan Steele

Sailor

Ricky Ubeda

Sailor

Carlos Sánchez Falú

Bartender

Jeanette Delgado

Fancy Free Woman

Sara Esty

Fancy Free Woman

Ahmad Simmons

NYC Pedestrian Man Dancer

Kyle Coffman

NYC Pedestrian Man Dancer

Byron Tittle

NYC Pedestrian Man Dancer

Yesenia Ayala

NYC Pedestrian Woman Dancer

Skye Mattox

NYC Pedestrian Woman Dancer

Halli Toland

NYC Pedestrian Woman Dancer

Leigh-Ann Esty

NYC Pedestrian Woman Dancer

Gaby Diaz

NYC Pedestrian Woman Dancer

Tanairi Sade Vazquez

NYC Pedestrian Woman Dancer

Lea Cooper

Little Jamie

Soledad Campos

Julia Vega

Zachary Booth

Mendy Wager

Miriam Shor

Cynthia O'Neal

Maya Hawke

Jamie Bernstein

Scott Ellis

Harry Kraut

James Cusati-Moyer

Georgie

John Kroft

Young Man

Scott Drummond

Scott

Gideon Glick

Tommy Cothran

Josh Hamilton

John Gruen

June Gable

Old Lady

Sam Nivola

Alexander Bernstein

Alexa Swinton

Nina Bernstein

Mike Mitarotondo

Bellhop

Colin Anderson

Stage Manager

Kevin Thompson

Director

Rosa Feola

Ely Soloist #1

Isabel Leonard

Ely Soloist #2

Miller Bugliari

Miller

Atika Greene

Nurse

Bernard Kruger

Dr. Kruger

Gabe Fazio

Willard the Assistant

Jordan Dobson

William

Oscar Pavlo

Claudio Arrau (uncredited)

Booch O'Connell

Keg Girl (uncredited)

Crew

Michelle Tesoro

Editor

Rena DeAngelo

Set Decoration

Kevin Thompson

Production Design

Mark Bridges

Costume Design

Kay Georgiou

Hair Department Head

Shayna Markowitz

Casting

Kazu Hiro

Prosthetic Designer

Toni Roman-Grimm

Hairstylist

Lori McCoy-Bell

Hairstylist

Siân Grigg

Makeup Designer

Matthew Libatique

Director of Photography

Jameson Eaton

Key Hair Stylist

Shane Geraghty

Stunts

Duncan Jarman

Prosthetic Makeup Artist

Madison McLain

Makeup Artist

Leah Sargent

Visual Effects

Tim Metivier

First Assistant "B" Camera

Claire Mahony

Hairstylist

Michele Ziegler

First Assistant Director

Xanthus Valan

Second Assistant Director

David Hallas

Lighting Technician

Gus Margiotta

Grip

Peter Schall

Rigging Gaffer

Alexandra Torterotot

Script Supervisor

Christopher Place

Stunts

Gali Noy

Assistant Costume Designer

Chad Harlow

Hairstylist

Samantha MacIvor

Stunts

Bri Trischitta

Makeup Artist

Christine Bergren

Music Arranger

Deborah Jensen

Supervising Art Director

Stefan Sonnenfeld

Colorist

Mark Graham

Music Coordinator

Scott Burik

Stunt Coordinator

Mary Chipman

Makeup Artist

Jackie Risotto

Makeup Department Head

Kate Edwards

Costume Supervisor

Kevin Ritter

Costume Supervisor

Matthew Green

Hairstylist

Jen Egan

Stunts

Nancy Valle

Post Production Consulting

Jeanne Gilliland

Boom Operator

Bradley Cooper

Writer

Josh Singer

Writer

Kelley Cribben

Post Production Supervisor

Steven Gizicki

Music Supervisor

Tracey Landon

Executive Producer

Bobby Wilhelm

Executive Producer

Josh Singer

Executive Producer

Leah Winkler

Unit Production Manager

P. Scott Sakamoto

Steadicam Operator

Tim Monich

Dialect Coach

P. Scott Sakamoto

"A" Camera Operator

Colin Anderson

"B" Camera Operator

Colin Anderson

Steadicam Operator

Charlie Greene

First Assistant Editor

Diana Choi

Wigmaker

Victoria Ruggiero

Music Editor

Jason McDonald

Still Photographer

Carla Raij

Unit Production Manager

Brett Martinez

Assistant Art Director

Tracey Landon

Unit Production Manager

Steven A. Morrow

Production Sound Mixer

Richard King

Sound Designer

Andrew Bock

First Assistant Sound Editor

Jason Ruder

Supervising Music Editor

Jeremy Marks

First Assistant Director

Ryan Robert Howard

Second Assistant Director

Aurelia Winborn

First Assistant "A" Camera

Michael W. Mitchell

Sound Effects Editor

Mike Horton

Foley Artist

Emma Elgort

Associate Producer

Mitch Deltuvia

Second Second Assistant Director

JiYe Kim

Assistant Editor

Eliza Paley

Dialogue Editor

Eric McAllister

First Assistant Sound Editor

Bruce Winant

ADR Voice Casting

Tony Martinez

Supervising Dialogue Editor

Paul Berolzheimer

Sound Effects Editor

Richard King

Supervising Sound Editor

Jac Rubenstein

Dialogue Editor

Tony Martinez

Supervising ADR Editor

Fred Rosenberg

Dialogue Editor

Dann Fink

ADR Voice Casting

Rich Bologna

Supervising Sound Editor

John Bair

Visual Effects Supervisor

Jason Ruder

Executive Music Producer

Kirstin Mooney

Art Department Coordinator

John G. Velez

Gaffer

John Mang

Dolly Grip

Heather Prendergast

Assistant Set Decoration

John-Paul Natysin

Utility Sound

Kevin Burik

Stunts

Greg Harvey

Stunts

Tom Ozanich

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Liz Hedges

Second Assistant "A" Camera

Tonero Williams

Set Dresser

Nico Coucke

Stunts

Jaime Miller

Stunts

Joel Weaver

Property Master

Jessie Pellegrino

Assistant Property Master

Zach Frank

Dolly Grip

Morgan Vice

Art Department Coordinator

Monique Mitchell

Key Rigging Grip

Alexios Chrysikos

Conceptual Illustrator

Dean A. Zupancic

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Timothy Metzger

Leadman

Inyoung Choi

Best Boy Electrician

Blaise Corrigan

Stunts

Paul Cheponis

Assistant Set Decoration

Charles Brennan

Grip

Vivian Baker

Prosthetic Makeup Artist

Aaron Vexler

Stunts

Chris Guzzo

Rigging Grip

Charlie Kaplowitz

Assistant Production Coordinator

Ana Perdita

Costumer

Nicolas Destevens

Costumer

Kate Fitzgerrell

Scenic Artist

Eugene Kagansky

Scenic Artist

Michael Fontaine

Prosthetic Makeup Artist

Carter Kustera

Scenic Artist

Cornelia Klapper

Second Assistant "B" Camera

Naima Noguera

Camera Loader

Joseph E. Petruccio

Set Dresser

Quinn Marshall

Rigging Grip

Dan Urlie

Assistant Costume Designer

Adrienne Abseck

Costumer

Brett Norman

Camera Loader

Kenneth Fundus

Grip

Connor Plunket

Grip

Jimmy Goode

Hairstylist

Erica Reusse

Costumer

Michael Hall

Production Coordinator

Samson Jacobson

Location Manager

Murphey Wilkins

Scenic Artist

Natalie Turturro Mettouchi

Assistant Costume Designer

Sarah Brady Stack

Assistant Location Manager

Alberto D'Fonseca

Costumer

Siân Grigg

Makeup Department Head

Megan Longmeyer

Prosthetic Makeup Artist

Edward Ioffreda

Graphic Designer

Tommy Kempf

Rigging Grip

Courtney R. Alfrey

Costumer

Richard A. Zimmer

Costumer

Pete Marvelli

Assistant Production Coordinator

John Aufiero

Assistant Production Coordinator

Kevin Lowry

Key Grip

Matt Kessler

Grip

Alana Katt

Assistant Costume Designer

Mary Moser

Scenic Artist

Alex Gorodetsky

Charge Scenic Artist

Katherine Rondeau

Scenic Artist

Kevin Gillespie

Scenic Artist

Jennifer Hodges

Scenic Artist

Liv Banks

Production Supervisor

Kristen Kopp

Assistant Costume Designer

David Hawkinson

Scenic Artist

Daniel Castle King

Production Supervisor

Vincent Pierce

Best Boy Grip

Elisa Tallerico

Makeup Artist

Kate Edwards

Wardrobe Supervisor

Juliet Breza

Costume Coordinator

Mike Mekash

Prosthetic Makeup Artist

Danny Perry

Assistant Location Manager

Roman Lystvak

Scenic Artist

Tom Gregory

Key Carpenter

Ryan Nordin

Special Effects Technician

Erich Winzer

Scenic Artist

Danny Brink

Special Effects Technician

Jeff Brink

Special Effects Coordinator

Franz Yeich

Key Construction Grip

Leah Shapiro

Casting Assistant

Grant Wilfley

Extras Casting

Ray Stenzel

Construction Coordinator

Justin Peck

Choreographer

Kendall Bates

Extras Casting Assistant

Craig Salstein

Associate Choreographer

Amber Maiden

Additional Second Assistant Director

Dayna Katz

Casting Associate

Roman Greller

Set Dresser

Brandon Boyles

Set Dresser

Vern Malone

Set Costumer

Weston Middleton

Executive Producer

Ryan Heck

Art Direction

Randy Torres

Sound Effects Editor

Ellie Jones

Standby Art Director

Jurasama Arunchai

Assistant Art Director

Shane Claire Strano

Set Dresser

Dan Decelle

Set Dresser

Carla Raij

Executive Producer

Kat St. John

Set Costumer

Joe Taglairino

Set Dresser

Candis Heiland

Set Dresser

Deborah Wheatley

Assistant Art Director

Leonard Bernstein

Music

Fred Berner

Producer

Martin Scorsese

Producer

Bradley Cooper

Director

Bradley Cooper

Producer

Kristie Macosko Krieger

Producer

Steven Spielberg

Producer

Chris Moraitis

Researcher

Amy Durning

Producer

Julie Dartnell

Makeup Artist

Tonya Smay

VFX Artist

Andrew Geary

Colorist

Daniel Singer

Musician

Keith Smith

Rigging Grip

Chris Lyons

Special Effects Makeup Artist

Janine Modder

Line Producer

Reviews

Manuel São Bento

⭐ 8/10

September 3, 2023

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/maestro-venice-film-festival-review-bradley-cooper-is-a-certified-talented-filmmaker/

"Maestro exceeds expectations, certifying Bradley Cooper as a filmmaker with innate talent, just like Leonard Bernstein, who the former portrays brilliantly.

An inspirational biopic focused on an exponentially compelling romance elevated by emotionally genuine performances filled with intensely, passionatel… read the rest.

CinemaSerf

⭐ 6/10

December 5, 2023

I don't know if maybe "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2018) or "Rocketman" (2019) have made me a bit immune to the rather hedonistic lifestyles of the musical rich and famous, but I found this beautifully photographed depiction of the life of the enigmatic Leonard Bernstein to be remarkably tame. The monochrome presentation is glorious to look at, but the narrative is weak, I found. Carey Mullian, his long-suffering wife Felicia Montealegre is easily the most meritorious of praise here. She portrays the increasingly frustrated, betrayed yet still loving woman with a strength and subtlety that is really engaging - especially towards the end of the film. Cooper, on the other hand - well, was he meant to be mimicking Barry Manilow or Tony Bennett? We learn very little about what made the man tick, about what made his sexuality such a big deal for him? The other characters come and go with little context to illustrate their roles in his life, his role in their's and with the possible exception of their eldest daughter Shirley (Sarah Silverman) there is no conversation to be had about just how this marriage of convenience was established or managed. It's also largely devoid of his most famous musical works. Aside from the tiniest interlude from "West Side Story" - which I know he didn't much care for - we could be forgiven for assuming that this was a biopic of a composer with high-brow classical aspirations but with little popular appeal. That said, there is a splendid rendition of Mahler's 2nd from the acoustically gorgeous Ely cathedral to savour, but otherwise this is all a rather underwhelming melodrama that really didn't tell me much that I didn't already know about this charismatic, selfish and flawed individual the fluctuating state of whose marriage was, frankly, of very little interest to me. More marital woes than maestro, sorry.

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Brent Marchant

⭐ 5/10

December 25, 2023

A great talent deserves a great biopic. Regrettably, in the case of the late conductor/composer/musician Leonard Bernstein, he doesn’t get it. Writer-actor-director Bradley Cooper has made a film that I’m sure he thinks of as his cinematic masterpiece when, in fact, it comes across more like a tribute to the filmmaker’s own ego than as an homage to his subject. Perhaps the biggest problem here is the screenplay, which can never really decide if it wants to be a litany of the accomplishments of the artist (Cooper) or a love story between him and his adoring wife, Felicia (Carey Mulligan). The constant switching back and forth between the two leaves viewers wondering which will be the focus that the director settles on. Then there’s Cooper’s increasingly hammy overacting, which grows progressively annoying as the film plays out, a performance riddled with knowing looks of “I know I’m going to get awards nominations for this portrayal.” Add to that a somewhat inexplicable shift from monochrome to color cinematography, and audiences are left further pondering the filmmaker’s cinematic motivations while simultaneously having to contend with notably underdeveloped depictions of the character’s motivations, making for a rather shallow take overall when it comes to exploring the protagonist’s nature. To its credit, “Maestro” features a fine production design and gorgeous camera work (especially in the black-and-white sequences), and Mulligan’s luminescent presence is positively captivating, in my view the only real reason for screening this offering in the first place. Otherwise, however, this is a big awards season disappointment that leaves much to be desired – and that likely would have been better off left in the hands of the project’s originally designated director, Steven Spielberg. Cooper may be a fine actor, but that’s what he should stick with, as that’s where his real strength lies – not behind the camera or sitting in the writer’s chair.

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BornKnight

⭐ 7/10

December 29, 2023

This biographical movie about Leonard Bernstein is directed and written by Bradley Cooper (and Josh Singer - “Spotlight”) and produced between others by Martin Scorsese (that declined to direct it after seeing “A Star is Born” and to be able to film the Irishman) and Steven Spielberg.

It stars Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein an Jew American conductor and composer (1918–1990) and Carey Mulligan as Felicia Montealegre Bernstein
American actress (1922–1978) who married Lenny in 1951, by social convenience of that epoch.

Leonard Bernstein had a brilliant career playing in Broadway (West Side Story is by him), Carnegie Hall and New York Philharmonic and had also an intense career on teaching, having intense presentations that showed his true love for music - it was also a controverse person, with a very active social live and gay. Not shown in the movie, that he holds a cigar in almost every scene we had asthma (being dismissed in WWII) developed emphysema, dying from a heart attack from a mesothelioma tumor.

Felicia Montealegre Bernstein was a Jew actress from Chilean origins that met Leonard while at a party in 1946 - it was also a true love into Leonard's life, even with his sexual orientation, living a sometimes contributed second life.

The story of the movie show marks at the live on the musician, and the cinematography by
Matthew Libatique behind the camera (A Star is Born, Pi, Fountain of Life, Mother!Requiem for a Dream), shown the ages were the story passed is the cinematographic style and format of those epochs from the 40’s to the 90’s from high-contrast black and white and Academy ratio, to 70 technicolor format eras where it passes, using original equipment for those scenes. Also the scenes of the movie that place great emphasis depending on the dramatic moment - from dialogues and close ups, to discussions and background happenings to the magnificent performances of Bradley Cooper as Leny as maestro, including a memorable scene at a church.

The edition of the movie by Michelle Tesoro (The Queen's Gambit) is very well done, and
the music is all works of Leonard Bernstein (not sure if it can be a contender of this year's Academy nominations). Another remarkable work is the

The movie can be another one of NF gems that comes to the oscar consolidating streaming as a real parallel form of art to classic cinema - I can foresee and nomination to best actor, best co-adjuvant actress, best cinematography and maybe on production, because the makeup and prosthetic work of Kazu Hiro is just amazing life-like, and true to both the physical and psychological side of Leny.

The story of the movie itself could be better in showing better the intimacy between the two, and also some facts left aside as the work of both of them as fierce activists for several causes. The story rhythm is also a bit confuse as it make jumps to the relevant points and do not stay till the end of something predictable but lingering and meaningful (as Felicica’s death, show only as a son running to the backyard the moving of the family from the house)

Brit is a solid biographical movie and one of the ”must watch” movies of the year deserving a solid 7.5 out of 10.0 / B+ only because of its lesser faults.

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