Bradley Cooper’s latest film “Maestro” has faced a wave of criticism from viewers who find fault with his performance, particularly highlighting an issue with his diction. Fans expressed their dissatisfaction on social media, with many unable to continue watching due to what they describe as “incessant mumbling.”
One viewer expressed their frustration on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The mumbling maestro. So dull and so hard to hear the convos when he and his wife are talking over each other and his deep mumble Ugh. Turned off after an hour.” Others echoed this sentiment, pointing out the difficulty in understanding the film’s dialogue and noting that while the performances were good, the diction was not clear.
Complaints ranged from viewers claiming they might be going deaf to outright labeling the film “unwatchable” due to the “poor dialogue” and “incessant mumbling.” The Netflix film, which narrates the life of famed “West Side Story” composer Leonard Bernstein and his relationship with Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein, played by Carey Mulligan, has been anticipated as an Oscar contender but now faces significant viewer backlash.
In addition to the criticism over Cooper’s performance, the film has been embroiled in controversy over the use of a prosthetic nose, which many have deemed an offensive instance of “Jewface.” Jewish actress Tracy-Ann Oberman, among others, voiced her concerns, arguing that if Cooper could play the Elephant Man without prosthetics, he should be able to portray a Jewish man without resorting to a stereotypical nose. The film’s makeup artist, Kazu Hiro, later apologized, stating his intention was to portray Bernstein as realistically as possible and expressing regret for any hurt caused.
Despite the controversies, Bernstein’s children have publicly supported Cooper’s portrayal, acknowledging his commitment and the joy he brought to the role. They stated, “It breaks our hearts to see any misrepresentations or misunderstandings of his efforts. It happens to be true that Leonard Bernstein had a nice, big nose. Bradley chose to use makeup to amplify his resemblance, and we’re perfectly fine with that.” They also added that they believe their father “would have been fine with it as well.” Despite the support from Bernstein’s family, the film continues to navigate through mixed reactions from audiences and critics alike.
