Maestro covers roughly forty years of Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper), from his big break in his twenties to when he’s an older man in his sixties ruminating on his failure as a husband to his wife Felicia (Carey Mulligan).  As the director and writer of this film, Cooper shows the two falling in love, getting married, having a family, and how Bernstein’s wandering eye and sexual appetite tested their union.  Along the way Bernstein did many things that established him as a world-renowned conductor and composer.  The movie isn’t interested in exploring either his creativity or his art, and instead focuses on his relationship with Felicia.  She plays the  long-suffering wife to her husband, the genius.  Beyond the obvious marital strife, the story Cooper tells is not compelling because it is largely devoid of conflict.  When he’s not being a genius, Bernstein treats his wife with little regard for her feelings.  He does answer the call when he needs to, and the movie ends with tinges of regret, but the overall impact of this true life story felt muted.

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The movie opens with several touches of visual cleverness.  Connie (Emma Corrin) and Clifford (Matthew Duckett) standing against a fake landscape that is revealed to be the painted backdrop of their wedding portrait.  (A metaphor for the awkward pretense their marriage will become?)  The couple then attend an awkward wedding reception where Connie’s role of heir-producer is toasted.  They then manage to consummate their wedding vows in spite of Clifford’s apprehension about going off to war.  (Said consummation was not shown, but I assumed it was dignified and restrained.)  The following morning on his trip to the front, Clifford is framed by the window of his train car, where his expression mirrors the horrors reflected in the window.

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