Critics rave about Bradley Cooper’s ‘Maestro’ after ‘jewface’ controversy

Reviews for Bradley Cooper's latest film, Maestro, are pouring in following its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, and they largely lean towards the positive side. The movie, which serves as Cooper's second directorial project after 2018's A Star Is Born, has garnered a lot of praise from critics.

In a review for The Hollywood Reporter, critic David Rooney described Maestro as a multifaceted exploration of the relationship between composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife, Felicia Montealegre. Rooney emphasized that the film “is a layered examination of a relationship that might be grossly over-simplified today as that of a closeted gay man and his 'beard.”

Rooney also lauded Cooper's portrayal of Bernstein, noting that he masterfully treads "walks a tricky line, never letting him become unsympathetic even at his most insensitive.” Additionally, he praised Carey Mulligan's performance, declaring that she “has never been better,” particularly highlighting a powerful scene depicting an argument between the couple as one of the film's standout moments.

In a review for Deadline, Pete Hammond wrote that Maestro "is the work of a very assured filmmaker bringing a strong vision to the screen."

"The music, and the way it is used throughout is a star player itself, certainly a reason to see this film in a theatrical setting with state-of-the-art sound systems, even if it eventually is going to be streaming on Netflix," Hammond wrote, adding that Cooper's "transformation into this musical giant is something to behold."

Variety's film critic, Owen Gleiberman, weighed in on the controversy surrounding Cooper's use of a prosthetic nose to portray Bernstein, calling it "entirely misplaced.”

"We expect that the movie is going to 'explain' their relationship," the critic wrote of how Maestro approaches Cooper and Mulligan's characters. "Cooper does something more audacious: He presents it, from every angle, in all its mystery, as a romantic partnership as unique as any other."

Total Film critic Jane Crowther drew a comparison between Maestro and the film TÁR, which was released the previous year and featured Cate Blanchett portraying a fictional composer who had studied under Bernstein.

"This year, she can — literally and figuratively — pass the baton to Bradley Cooper, who disappears inside his performance as Leonard Bernstein," Crowther wrote, stating that Cooper and Mulligan "are organically believable as a partnership, dancing around each other linguistically in a way that’s thrilling to watch."

In his review for RogerEbert.com, critic Glenn Kenny commended Carey Mulligan's performance in Maestro. However, he also noted that the film appeared to overlook significant aspects of Bernstein's connection to music, as well as his notable collaborations with other prominent 20th-century artists, including Stephen Sondheim and Elia Kazan.

"Here, Carey Mulligan, playing against director Cooper’s Bernstein, pretty much acts her costar off the screen, as a colleague put it," Kenny wrote. "Cooper does his level best, God knows, but never inhabits the role."

Maestro is set to premiere in select theaters in November before becoming available on Netflix on December 20.