Filmmakers have been wearing multiple hats in cinema since the beginning. Through writing, producing, directing, and acting, legendary names like Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, Barbra Streisand, Tina Fey, and Woody Allen have shared an almost cherished tradition of adding their creative vision into numerous facets of their films. As we move into a new generation of multihyphenate filmmakers like John Krasinski, Mindy Kaling, Donald Glover, Dev Patel (represented this week as well with Monkey Man), and Chelsea Peretti, opportunities to expand imagination and transition from one artistic medium to the another are more available than ever before.

In Música, the idea of a Swiss Army Knife filmmaker is honored and innovated upon in equal measure, as internet star Rudy Mancuso (The Flash) not only co-writes and directs but also composes the score for and stars in this vibrant tale of melody, love, and cultural identity. The semi-autobiographical tale is inspired by his experiences achieving his dreams and influenced by his real-life synesthesia, a condition where sounds evoke colors and sensations. With Newark, New Jersey’s Brazilian community as its backdrop, it’s a deceptively modest premise that becomes a vivid canvas for Mancuso and his appealing cast’s infectious passion.

Still living at home with his mother (real-life mom Maria Mancuso), Rudy isn’t living the dream she had for him. While she would prefer that he have a stable job and settle down to start a family with a nice Brazilian girl, he’s hanging on to a relationship with Haley (Francesca Reale, Strange World) that isn’t going anywhere and busking for tips in subways with his puppet shows. Plagued by the music constantly playing in his head, making it appear he’s in a constant state of distraction, Rudy finds harmony when he meets Isabella (Camila Mendes, Mancuso’s girlfriend as of this writing), and the two form a quick bond. She takes the time to understand the cacophony pulsing in his head, making him feel seen in a way that allows him to regain the balance he’d been struggling with.

Mancuso has an undeniable screen presence and is charismatic, creative, and utterly magnetic, which is why he has achieved a massive online following.  He’s successfully harnessed all that energy and translated it into a screen story and visuals that draw the audience in, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. Seamlessly making music part of the narrative, both as Rudy’s character trait and a storytelling device that advances the plot, gives the film a distinctive authenticity that feels fresh and alive.  It could easily have been pushed too far, resulting in a manic twitch of an experience. Still, Música never falls off pitch, even during the predictable beats accompanying these rom-com dramas involving family and cultural clashes. 

With Mancuso as the conductor, he’s assembled a fine company to fill out his orchestra. A lively ensemble of dancers used throughout the film is repurposed in much the same way a Broadway show will throw a wig on an ensemble member and ask you to believe they are another character.  The main actors, Reale, Mendes, and J.B. Smoove (Spider-Man: Far From Home) as a food truck driving friend and confidant of Mancuso, all play their roles with finely tuned dynamics and based on the chemistry on the screen, you can see why Mendes (Do Revenge) and Mancuso fell for one another. The movie’s star is undoubtedly Maria Mancuso, a scene-stealer delivering an affecting turn as she navigates the growing divide between her old-world Brazilian values and her son’s modern American dreams. Her line readings are pitch-perfect and riotous.

As one might expect in a film that deals with sensory sensitivities, Música’s visuals and sound design are top-notch. Melissa Kent’s (The Vow) editing is razor-sharp but not so frenetic that it overwhelms us like it does in Rudy’s mind. Working with Mancuso to get the look of the film spot on, Shane Hurlbut (Need for Speed) creates a world that feels like a realistic version of a modern New Jersey, just with some small splashes of fantasy along the way.  Tere Duncan’s costumes are bold standouts against the vibrant production design from Patrick M. Sullivan Jr. (Mary Poppins Returns), all elements that need to work in conjunction for the piece to reach the highest rung.

In bringing his deeply personal experience to brilliantly colorful life for 90 dynamic minutes, with the release of Música, Mancuso transitions from an internet celebrity to a movie star. It’s a splashy debut that should serve as an energetic and innovative calling card for the talented musician. Spinning the struggles of self-discovery, romance, and family dynamics into a sonically rich celebration, it’s the kind of film you’ll happily turn the volume up for.