Unfortunately, as an uncultured swine for who the name Leonard Bernstein means very little, my interest in this flick was low. But when you have both Spielberg and Scorsese producing a Bradley Cooper directed and acted film about a musical icon on Netflix, how can you say no?

To me, Bernstein is just a name in history… a guy who scored a couple of films (including West Side Story) but who was, to me, just a name shouted in a song. This film didn’t add enough context for me. It has a lot to admire but its overall structure and depiction of a life never called to me as something vital or important. And yet there are individual scenes of such actorly grace and filmic beauty that I have to ignore my caveman indifference and admire the filmmaking bravura.

Bradley Cooper is startlingly good. Part of that is due to a seamless makeup job that transforms Cooper’s handsome face, hiding his physicals features yet maintaining a touch of himself. His acting and accent are so good it reminds you of what name brand actors SHOULD do… vanish into the part. I can’t say how good his impersonation of Bernstein is, but for an actor to vanish so craftily is to be applauded. If there’s not a host of award nominations in his future, it’s only because the voters see Rocket Racoon making an obvious play for Oscar gold.

Carrey Mulligan also disappears for all the same reasons (though maybe less in her makeup… though she still ages convincingly). For a movie about Leonard Bernstein, the amount of bravura acting scenes she gets is admirable. Nominations are also in order.

The impeccable direction and cinematography are also great. The film plays with different cinematic styles over the years. Black and white, color, technicolor, 4×3 aspect ratios, and then 11×9. It’s mainly used, I think, as a way to show passage of time… but you’d also be excused for marveling at how GOOD each era looks. That said, I don’t know if the flashy theatrics serve the story so much as reflect stylistic choices.

And yet, despite some killer acting moments and amazing use of color and camera work, the totality of the film was lost on me. Perhaps if you are a fan of Leonard Bernstein, you may feel closer to the story. As an uncultured swine I didn’t learn much nor was I swept away in this version of a life story. Leaving me admiring the movie far more than I enjoyed it.

Score: 74