More ‘Maestro’ Reactions … — World of Reel
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Lists
    • Yearly Top Tens
    • Trailers
    • Contact
    • Hire Me
    • About
Menu

World of Reel

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
Home
IMG_5474.jpg
Julia Ducournau’s ‘Alpha’ Is a Stunning Failure [Cannes]
IMG_5475.jpg
Spike Lee’s ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Earns Positive Reviews [Cannes]
IMG_5473.jpg
Lee Chang-dong Ey 2026 with New Feature ‘Possible Love’ — Set to Shoot This Fall
IMG_5471.jpg
Kleber Mendonça Filho’s ‘The Secret Agent’ Earns Raves — 86 on Metacritic [Cannes]
IMG_5468.jpg
Tom Cruise Intends to Keep Making Action Movies Into His 100s: “I Will Never Stop”
Featured
Capture.PNG
Aug 19, 2019
3-Hour ‘Midsommar' Director's Cut Screened in NYC
Aug 19, 2019

This year’s 12th edition of the Scary Movies festival at Film at Lincoln Center premiered Ari Aster’s extended version of “Midsommar” this past Saturday.

Aug 19, 2019

World of Reel

  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Lists
  • More
    • Yearly Top Tens
    • Trailers
  • About
    • Contact
    • Hire Me
    • About

More ‘Maestro’ Reactions …

May 20, 2023 Jordan Ruimy

The “Maestro” reactions keep coming. Mixed is a generous word that I’d use in describing them.

Based on what I’ve gathered, Bradley Cooper’s direction is phenomenal, he stages shots that showcase an immensely talented filmmaker at work here.

The acting is top-notch, especially from Cooper himself as conductor Leonard Bernstein. Carey Mulligan is also being highlighted as Bernstein’s wife. The problem seems to reside in the screenplay. Almost everyone is saying that it’s a very messy structure.

Reaction #1

I don’t think reviews will be bad, but people will probably be disappointed. The screenplay is a mess. The editing is choppy in how it cuts through the years too unevenly. One scene, out of nowhere, we suddenly see that they have three new children. Excellent visuals. There’s a black and white opening and the second half turns into color. Very rich and lavish visuals. No handheld camera, all tight closeups and wide frames through doors. Cooper and Mulligan will be raved, but the audience seemed bored for the first half. When it becomes more of a domestic relationship drama and Bernstein sacrifices his ego to support his wife as she’s dying, that’s when the theater was more engaged.

Reaction #2

It’s very talky and exposition-heavy in the first 45 minutes. No pace or flow and instead a tapestry of very dialogue-driven scenes that reveal no real perspective. It’s elevated by Cooper’s visual style and the two performances. There’s a concert scene that’s just one take. Cooper should win the Oscar. Astoundingly vivacious work. Unrecognizable and committed, but the movie is a frustrating mess that’s narratively directionless and doesn’t land. Jarring lapses in editing. Best when it frames itself on the relationship. He’s insecure and she’s jealous.

Reaction #3

Frustrating movie. Staggering work from Cooper. Mulligan could win the Oscar, but the movie itself felt very undecided on what exactly it wanted to do and be. Cooper stages some remarkable set pieces that are truly on Todd Field or PTA level. The first big fight between Bernstein and his wife is a wide shot that doesn’t cut for 10 minutes. Lots of amazing tracking and bold blocking.

“Maestro” will be distributed via Netflix, but all we have is a TBA 2023 release date. TIFF is a given for it to screen. We’ll see if Venice and Telluride like it enough to show it.

Production on this one wrapped last fall. It test-screened in February and then a few weeks later Maestro scheduled reshoots and touch-ups in New York City. These reactions come from a new cut that was test-screened last week.

← ‘Indy 5’ Ending Hints at Who Might Take Over as Indiana Jones …Pedro Almodóvar’s Next Film About “Two Women in Very Intimate Situation,” Set to Shoot March 2024 →

FOLLOW US!


Trending

Featured
IMG_5403.jpg
Ari Aster’s ‘Eddington’ POLARIZES; Starts as Satire, Ends in Horror — Not Everyone’s Buying It [Cannes]
IMG_5383.jpg
‘Sirat’ Screens — Surreal, Chaotic and Unsettling [Cannes]
IMG_5352.jpg
‘Mission: Impossible 8’ Review Embargo Breaks — It’s A Mess [Cannes]
IMG_5328.jpg
‘Sound of Falling’ Gets Bogged Down by Heavy Symbolism [Cannes]
IMG_4571.jpg
David Fincher & Brad Pitt Reunite for ‘The Continuing Adventures of Cliff Booth' + Plot Details

Critics Polls

Featured
Capture.PNG
Critics Poll: ‘Vertigo’ Named Best Film of the 1950s, Over 120 Participants
B16BAC21-5652-44F6-9E83-A1A5C5DF61D7.jpeg
Critics Poll: Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ Tops Our 1960s Critics Poll
Capture.PNG
Critics Poll: ‘The Godfather’ Named Best Movie of the 1970s
public.jpeg
Critics Poll: ‘Do the Right Thing' Named Best Movie of the 1980s
Critics Poll: ‘Mulholland Drive' Named Best Film of the 2000s
g4.jpg
Critics' Poll: ‘Goodfellas' Named Best Movie of the 1990s
Critics Poll: ‘Mad Max: Fury Road' Named Best Movie of the 2010s
World of Reel tagline.PNG
 

Content

Contribute

Hire me

 

Support

Advertise

Donate

 

About

Team

Contact

Privacy Policy

Site designed by Jordan Ruimy © 2023