Rudy Mancuso’s Música features an engrossing start, but it fumbles through the middle, ending as a solid directorial debut with nothing to really grasp onto. Marketing matters here, and in 2024, it’s crucial that when categorizing something as a romance, people understand that a happy ending isn’t optional; it’s required. Thus, to make something abundantly clear for our readers, Música isn’t a romance, but it merely features a brief love story.
Starring alongside Mancuso are Camila Mendes, Maria Mancuso, J.B. Smoove, and Francesca Reale in a nuanced film that dives into character and one man’s perception of the world around him. The primary character, also named Rudy, hears music everywhere he goes, which allows Mancuso to play with some stunning mixtures of sound to create something that’s genuinely thrilling. The score doesn’t miss a single beat, and neither does Mancuso’s vision, providing the necessary groundwork to make every frame one that is worth focusing closely on.
Ultimately, the stories that come from personal places often feel more profound, and that’s certainly the case with the gorgeous showcase of Brazilian customs and Portuguese spoken aloud throughout Música. The relationship between mother and son, as well as all of Rudy’s connections outside of his headspace, provide thoughtful exhibitions of cultural norms that we don’t often see represented in media.
Where Rudy’s character journey and vital self-discovery are concerned, the film ultimately works by the end. It feels honest and sincere, and it exhibits the struggles of creative people with consistency. As an actor and a director, Mancuso provides the necessary layers to orbit the film around perception, and he sells a plethora of depth with his performances.
Música does an incredible job of showcasing the blurring emotions that subside to music with Rudy’s day-to-day adventures, but once we get into the contrived dinner scene, it’s hard to feel the same connection. It’s easy to understand why he would want to give Haley, his ex, another chance, but it’s even easier to see the more substantial connection with Isabella, whose arc ultimately feels wasted in the second half of the film.
Mendes and Mancuso have stellar chemistry, and despite the detail that she doesn’t hear what he does, it’s effortless to feel like there are few barriers between them. The film emphasizes their bond with intriguing layers and heart woven into their interactions, so seeing it go nowhere feels like an uncalled blow. At the end of the day, the marketing here could have ensured that we altered our expectations from the beginning.
Still, Música is a spirited display of what it means to continue doing the one thing you love most, even when it feels like all odds are stacked against you. It’s an honest expression of what it means to struggle in creative fields while living in large cities and trying to make ends meet. As a character, Rudy’s point-of-view is engaging, and even when it feels like things are unclear, it’s a solid lens to watch the film through, largely for those who are fans of music. If I wasn’t, I couldn’t imagine enjoying it.
Música is now playing on Prime Video.
First Featured Image | Official Poster Credit: ©Prime Video