Maestro is available to stream right now.
Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born, The Hangover) is back with a new film on Netflix.
However the Hollywood star’s latest release has some viewers turning their nose up.
Maestro sees the 48-year-old takes on the role of legendary conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein.
The film was released on Netflix in the UK and Ireland earlier this week.
The popular streaming platform have described the movie as ‘a love letter to life and art’ which ‘at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love’.
It follows the Jewish icon’s relationship with his wife – actress Felicia Montealegre – played by Carey Mulligan.
Here’s a little taste of what you can expect…
Cooper stars in and directs new passion project on Netflix.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, Bradley Cooper is the director, producer, and leading actor in Maestro.
He even worked closely with Bernstein’s three children to make sure his onscreen portrayal of their father was true to life.
At the time of writing, the Netflix release holds an 80% fresh rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Audiences seem to be in favour too, with a score of 85%.
It even earned a seven minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival back in September.
However, not everyone has been impressed by Cooper’s portrayal of the iconic composer.
New Netflix film a bit on the nose for some fans.
People have been more preoccupied by Cooper’s transformation into his character rather than the storyline.
The use of a prosthetic nose in Maestro has become quite a controversial talking point and it has sparked outrage among some members of the Jewish community.
Some have accused Cooper of ‘Jewface’ and ‘ethnic cosplay’, with many arguing the role should have gone to a Jewish actor instead.
Makeup artist Kazu Hiro, who overhauled Cooper’s look for Maestro, had this to say at the New York Film Festival:
“My goal, and Bradley’s goal, was to portray Lenny as authentic as possible. Lenny had a really iconic look that everybody knows – theres so many pictures out there because he’s photogenic too – such a great person and inspired so many people. So we wanted to respect the look too, on the inside.
So that’s why we did several different tests and went through lots of decisions, and that was the outcome in the movie.”
Cooper himself has also defended the use of a prosthetic nose simply claiming it wouldn’t have looked ‘right’ without it.
Maestro is available to stream on Netflix in the UK and Ireland now.
