Now streaming on Amazon Prime Video is the romantic comedy, Música. Directed by, co-written, and starring Rudy Mancuso, alongside a cast which includes Camila Mendes, J.B. Smoove, and Maria Mancuso, Música is a quirky coming-of-age story about a Brazilian guy with a complex love life.
In the movie, Rudy is at a crossroads in life. His soon-to-be ex girlfriend is in the midst of planning his future, his mother is keen for him to settle down, and he doesn’t know what to do with his career.
Rudy spends his days busking (with a puppet) in the subways of Newark, where he attempts to make a buck. Problem is, few people pay him any attention and the lack of cash and general interest from subway commuters is stifling his motivation and creativity.
And Rudy is a very creative person. All day long he hears music and rhythm in the most ordinary places, and imagines everyone around him dancing and moving in time with the beat in his head.
After splitting up with his girlfriend, Rudy’s Brazilian mother becomes obsessed with setting her son up with a nice Brazilian girl. She tries to motivate Rudy into getting some direction in his love life, but she finds herself hitting a brick wall.
However, she may not need to worry for too long as Rudy bumps into a young woman named Isabella, who he starts to develop a connection with. And the more time that Rudy and Isabella spend together, the closer they become.
But things get complicated when Rudy’s ex comes back on the scene. Soon Rudy finds himself with a little too much romance in his life, and this makes his situation even more complicated than before.
When sitting down to watch a new comedy, I have one rule: If the film can make me laugh a couple of times within the first ten minutes, it’s generally going to be fun. Things might fall apart after the ten minute mark, but those first couple of chuckles lay some important groundwork and buy the movie some goodwill.
While watching Música not only did I laugh a couple of times within the first ten minutes, unlocking that goodwill in the process, but I also found myself being won over by the film’s charm and vibe. There’s something effortlessly cool and very clever about Música, and it is in the way the film is constructed.
Rudy’s ability to hear music via the most mundane objects (a dripping tap, a basketball, etc) proves to be a great way to tell this story. While the film is about Rudy’s love life, as well as his relationship with his mother, it is also about what’s going on in his head and the way he lives and breathes sound.
At regular intervals throughout the film, Rudy starts paying attention to ambient noise, a beat kicks in, and the story gets carried along by a brief musical interlude. These sequences are fun, they add a little sparkle and choreography to the picture, and most important of all they reflect Rudy’s mental state.
Rudy’s mind never seems to want to shut off, and even if his mother or his ex-girlfriend believe he has no drive or ambition, these scenes demonstrate that he does. In fact, Rudy has a lot going on in his brain, arguably too much, and he can’t shut it off.
This is a superb way to express this aspect of his character and to highlight issues related to attention and creativity. Rather than just tell you that Rudy is continually overthinking everything, the movie finds a way to show this through short bursts of music and dance.
All of the music and choreography sequences in Música are expertly handled by director and star Rudy Mancuso, who demonstrates a real eye for detail. Mancuso has previously directed a number of music videos, which is quite evident in the way he handles the music in this film, and this is where the picture is at its strongest.
Where the film stumbles a bit is in the story itself, which isn’t as imaginative as it could be. Rudy’s problems with his mother and his dating dramas are nothing particularly new or exciting, and this is where the film sags a touch.
Strip back the funky beats, and the toe-tapping sequences, and this film is mostly a tale about a guy trying to balance all the women in his life. It’s fine, but it’s been done before, and I’m not entirely sure we need to see it again.
However, at the very least, it works, it’s likeable and it doesn’t drag things out to the Nth degree. The key selling point about Música is the way the film gets in, does the job it intends to do, and then gets out again.
Yes, it’s a bit rough around the edges and at times it does have a low budget feel, but it hits the right notes when required and this counts for something. It may not be perfect, but it is decent.
Música is a likeable little picture which finds the right balance between comedy and romance. It has some good ideas, a playful tone, and a solid cast.
It’s not amazing, but it is good and this is perfectly acceptable for this particular film. Director, co-writer, and star Rudy Mancuso has something here, and I look forward to seeing how his talents develop with future projects.
—
—
Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
It's A Stampede! 
Leave a comment