Musical movies require more suspension of disbelief than other movies, as the characters occasionally burst into song or dance. But what if this was really Aomeone’s daily life? Prime Video’s Música explores synesthesia (a neurological condition) through the eyes of Rudy Mancuso, introducing us to a world where sight and sound intertwine in a vivid symphony. With some very impressive craftsmanship and positively distracting builds, Música makes for some interesting watches…. largely!
Director: Rudy Mancuso
Starring: Rudy Mancuso, Camila Mendes, Francesca Reale, Maria Mancuso
Streaming distribution: Prime Video
Música explores the world of synesthesia through the film’s writer, director, and lead actor Rudy Mancuso. Rudy plays himself and the film depicts the challenges of living with this unique condition, including his focus and finding purpose. The story further explores Rudy’s complicated relationships, as he juggles his relationship with his mother, Maria Mancuso, and romantic entanglements with two women, Hayley (Francesca Reale) and Isabella (Camila Mendes). Explore.
Rudy is trying to take us into an immersive experience of Música, as the visuals and background music are distracting as it always feels. We get a glimpse into his life as a marketing student who earns some pocket money by doing puppet shows on the subway. He wants to take musical puppetry to the next level, but is always unfocused and unable to think about it further. And his mother forces him to embrace his Brazilian roots. And if possible, he should have a Brazilian girl rather than a foreign girl. This first world-building part of Música is quite interesting and addictive.
Midway through “Música,” the intriguing exploration of synesthesia threatens to be overshadowed. The story follows a predictable love triangle as Rudy manipulates his love for two women, Haley and Isabella. This clichéd plot device replaces the original focus on Rudy’s unique perception and its impact on his life. As the film succumbs to familiar romantic entanglements, Musica’s potential as a truly original coming-of-age story diminishes.
The rest of the movie follows a predictable route but never becomes monotonous thanks to the perfect production. In the scene in Música, when Rudy is walking to the market and talking to Isabella, you can hear the awkward background music and it really gives you an idea of what it’s like to live with synesthesia. The film, which deals with puppetry as part of the real Rudy’s life, also utilizes the background and set properties of the puppetry world in scenes featuring the film’s protagonist, providing a complete meta experience. Música makes up for these parts with a predictable screenplay.
Música begins with an interesting tagline: “Based on a true story, unfortunately.” This hints at an event that changed Rudy Mancuso’s life, perhaps the one that started his artistic journey. But while the film explores the possibility of his awakening, it ultimately settles into the familiar formula of the kind of romantic comedies that are dumped on streaming services every week. But again, Musika’s visual presentation is not entirely conventional, and in that respect the film reflects Rudy’s own self-portrait: “I’m not normal.”
