Musicals demand more suspension of disbelief than other films as characters burst into song and dance from time to time. But, what if it were indeed someone’s everyday life? Prime Video’s Música explores synesthesia—a neurological condition—through the eyes of Rudy Mancuso, who is the film’s writer, director and lead actor. It showcases a world where sight and sound intertwine to create a vibrant symphony.
Rudy plays himself. The story moves forward as he displays the challenges of navigating life with the unique condition, including struggles with focus and finding purpose. The story explores the protagonist’s complex relationships. There’s his mother, Maria Mancuso, who forces him to embrace his Brazilian roots, in love and life.
We also get a glimpse into his time as a marketing student, who does puppet shows in a subway to earn pocket money. He wants to take his musical puppetry to the next level, but he is always out of focus to think further. This initial world-building is rather intriguing and keeps viewers hooked, as it takes them on an immersive experience, with the visuals and background music being as distracting as Rudy feels at all times.
Halfway through the film, however, the fascinating exploration of synesthesia is overshadowed by a predictable love triangle, as he juggles his affection for two women, Haley (Francesca Reale) and Isabella (Camila Mendes). The clichéd plot device digresses the audience’s attention from Rudy’s unique perception of life, nipping Música’s potential for becoming a one-of-a-kind, coming-of-age musical.
Música opens with the intriguing tagline, “Based on a true story, unfortunately”, thereby hinting at a life-altering event for Rudy; perhaps the catalyst for his artistic journey. While the film explores his potential awakening, it is achieved through a familiar rom-com formula, the kind churned out for streaming services every week. Música’s strength, therefore, is not plot but its visual delivery, which is not entirely conventional. And in that way, the film mirrors Rudy’s description of himself, “I am not normal.”
Director: Rudy Mancuso
Genre: Musical
Platform: Amazon Prime
Language: English
Rating: 3/5 stars