Movie Reviews
Movie Review – Maestro
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“I love music so much that it keeps me glued to life,” Leonard Bernstein (Lenny), world-renowned composer, asserts emphatically. This film pays homage to his life, but equally, highlights the blemishes, foibles, and struggles which were inherent in it. I will try to keep this review essentially “spoiler-free” such that you can appreciate the movie as much as I did. To be sure, this another gem from Netflix as evidenced by recently landing seven Oscar nominations including “Best Picture”.
Where to start? The screenplay is beautifully written with realistic, yet oftentimes depressing, dialogue. It extrapolates from actual Bernstein quotes towards crafting a story that keeps the audience captivated even though the ending is hinted at in the first three minutes of the film. By most critic’s standards, that is no easy feat with a movie-going population with a far shorter attention span than was the case in the past.
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Without question, what stood out for me in this film were the acting performances, themselves. First, Bradley Cooper, who also directed the film, clearly “put his all” in making this movie and bringing Lenny to life on the screen. For example, he spent months learning how to conduct. He is outstanding in portraying this brilliant musician who was challenged with life-long, chronic depression as well as a complicated view of his own sexuality. He was not impressed by his own accomplishments, nor saw how his work had any positive impact on the world. Moreover, his depression ran so deep that he was quoted as saying that “the world was on the verge of collapse”. On a positive note, the movie fan is treated to his charming outgoing personality as he truly loved people. In short, Cooper pulls off the portrayal of this complex icon wonderfully and, as such, is enormously deserved of the “Best Actor” Oscar nomination.
Lenny’s wife, Felicia, is brought back to life through Carey Mulligan’s amazing acting talents. Once again, she demonstrates her mastery of the acting craft. I was taken by her ability to convincingly “age” over the course of the film which spans over several decades. While some may imagine that being married to such a popular figure would carry with it “glitz and glamour”, it was also fraught with challenges. As Lenny’s sister tells Felicia, “There is a price to pay for being in my brother’s orbit.” The price Felicia paid was likely best illustrated in one of my favorite scenes wherein she and Lenny have an argument. (The couple’s “fight scene” is reminiscent of that in “Le Mepris” such that arguments such as these rarely have a “winner”). In any case, this “gloves-off” scene“ is juxtaposed with the sheer elation expressed by the extended family as they watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade making its way by Central Park. Movie-goers note the indelible chemistry between the two actors and likely will be reminded of how easily it is to hurt those who are the closest to us. Not surprisingly, Carey Mulligan is nominated for “Best Actress”, but unfortunately at a time when Lily Gladstone appears to already have won the award if one pays a modicum of attention to Vegas odds.
So, why did I not give this movie an A+? Two reasons. First, the trailer led me to believe that there would be a relatively balanced account of both Bernstein’s professional and personal lives. This is not the case as it is far more focused on his personal struggles and relationships. I left unsatisfied in not learning much more, historically speaking, about Bernstein, the musician. Second, the filmmakers made a conscious choice to not use on-screen titles to indicate time and place. As such, as the film moved along, I was continually asking myself, “OK, what year is this now?” and “Where are we, in this scene?” This was very distracting for me. Yes, there were clues such as the clever use of switching back-and-forth from color to black-and-white. Certainly, the costuming, cinematography, and dialogue provided additional clues, but it is up to fans to figure out the “when” and “where” on their own. I would have rather seen titles such as, “New York City, 1943” and “East Hampton, New York, 1978”.
In sum, this film is a “no-brainer must-see” for music buffs. But, far more importantly, I recommend it for a broader movie-going population who are simply keen on watching an extremely “well-made” film. Two hours well spent. Enjoy!
Grade: A-
About The Peetimes: It was rather easy to find decent Peetimes for this movie. If you don’t want to miss any musical scenes then use the second Peetime.
There are extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Maestro.
| Rated: | (R) Some Language and Drug Use |
| Genres: | Biography, Drama, History |
| Starring: | Carey Mulligan, Bradley Cooper, Matt Bomer |
| Director: | Bradley Cooper |
| Writer(s): | Bradley Cooper, Josh Singer |
| Language: | English |
| Country: | United States |
Plot
This love story chronicles the lifelong relationship of conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein and actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein.
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By ABBIE BERNSTEIN / Staff Writer
Posted: May 8th, 2026 / 08:34 PM
AFFECTION movie poster | ©2026 Brainstorm Media
Rating: Not Rated
Stars: Jessica Rothe, Joseph Cross, Julianna Layne
Writer: BT Meza
Director: BT Meza
Distributor: Brainstorm Media
Release Date: May 8, 2026
AFFECTION is an odd title for this tale. While it is about a number of topics and emotions, fondness isn’t one of them. Obsession, definitely. Love, possibly. The kind of general warm fellow feelings associated with “affection”? No.
There have been a lot of movies lately in which characters – mostly women – are grappling with false identities and/or false memories imposed upon them, mostly by men.
Let us stipulate that the protagonist (Jessica Rothe) in AFFECTION is not an android or in an artificial reality. However, we can tell something is way off from the opening sequence. A car is stalled on a tree-bordered highway. Rothe’s character is lying face down on the asphalt beside it, possibly dead.
But then the young woman rises, dragging a broken ankle. She experiences a full-body seizure. Fighting to recover, she sees oncoming headlights and tries to run, only to be hit by a car.
The woman wakes up in a bed she doesn’t recognize, next to a man (Joseph Cross) she likewise is sure she’s never seen before. One big confrontation later, the man says his name is Bruce – and that the woman is his wife, Ellie.
Ellie insists that her name is Sarah Thompson, and she is married to someone else, with a son. When she sees her reflection in a mirror, she doesn’t relate to the face looking back at her.
Bruce counters that Ellie has a rare neurological condition that causes her to block out her waking life and believe her dreams are real. This is why they agreed, together, to move to this isolated house, without the kinds of interruptions that can hinder Ellie’s recovery.
The set-up is presented in a way where we share Ellie’s skepticism. But Ellie and Bruce’s little daughter Alice (Julianna Layne) immediately identifies Ellie as “Mommy!” Alice appears to be too young to be in on any kind of deception, so what is going on here?
AFFECTION eventually explains this via a helpful videotape, though it’s so convoluted that viewers watching on streaming may want to replay the sequence to make sure they understand the exposition.
Writer/director BT Meza musters a sense of menace and lurking weirdness, as well as making great use of his location.
We still have a lot of questions, many of which are still unanswered by the film’s end. It may not matter to the points AFFECTION is trying to make, but a better sense of exactly how all this started might help our investment.
As it is, despite a heroically versatile performance by Rothe, a credible and anguished turn by Cross and appealing work from Layne, we’re so busy trying to piece together what’s important and what’s not and how we’re supposed to feel about all of it that it can be hard to keep track of the action as it unfolds.
Agree or not, Meza’s arguments are lucid and illustrated clearly by AFFECTION’s events. However, the movie is structured in a way that becomes more frustrating as it goes. We comprehend it intellectually but can’t engage viscerally.
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — In this episode of 8News Reel Talk, digital producer Julia Broberg is joined by anchor Deanna Allbrittin and reporter Allison Williams to talk about “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
The hosts gave their reviews and assigned the following star ratings:
Deanna: ★★★★.5
Allison: ★★★.25
Julia: ★★
To watch more livestreams and digital video content, head to the WRIC+ Originals page. You can also watch full on-demand videos on your smart TV using the WRIC+ app.
Billie Eilish fans prepare yourself, the much talked about secret project has finally arrived on the big screens!
Billie Eilish has always been about intimacy over artifice, but her latest concert film takes that to a visceral new level. Co-directed by Eilish and James Cameron, Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) manages to bridge the gap between a massive stadium show and the quiet grit of life backstage.
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The film is very much fan focussed, with the sound mix being so specific that you can hear individual fans singing along in sync with the visuals.
There are so many standout moments, the handheld camera work during “Bad Guy” that gives a dizzying POV of the band, and the chilling minute of silence Billie requests from the crowd to record a vocal loop.
The film captures her unique stage presence. Influenced by rap culture, Billie refuses to have anyone else on stage, unlike many female artists that use back up dancers. Billie can hold the entire stadium in awe by herself which is incredible to witness, until Finneas joins her for a beautiful, emotional piano set.
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