Musica – A Promising Romcom Directorial Debut (Early Review)

Musica is a coming-of-age romantic comedy and the directorial debut of Rudy Mancuso who not only co-wrote the screenplay and co-composed the original soundtrack, but also stars. Unsure of what to do with his future, Rudy (Mancuso) is nearing graduation and still living at home with his Brazilian mom Marie (Marie Mancuso). Meanwhile, he also suffers from a condition that made sounds come alive, something that was both distracting and frustrating for those around him, especially in the presence of his girlfriend Haley (Reale). After meeting fellow Brazilian Isabella (Camila Mendes), the two develop an instant spark which made things that much more complicated for Rudy as he tried to figure out what do with his life. A very pleasant surprise in a year that hasn’t had many, it is an enjoyable romcom all thanks to the commitment and talent of Mancuso.

Ultimately, the film would not have been successful as it was if not for Mancuso and his energy, passion, and style that he infuses into it, clearly taking inspiration from recent works such as In the Heights and Tick, Tick… Boom!. Everything looks so vibrant and colorful, as one can feel the warmth and joy beaming from every frame. The choreography is highly impressive, with every dance or musical sequence more memorable than the last. What was very clearly a very personal project for Mancuso, putting his entire life up on screen up to this point, it works out for the better, resulting in a charming, sweet, and heartfelt watch because of it. As someone who wasn’t familiar with Mancuso’s work prior to this, it gives audiences a newfound respect and appreciation for him and what he had achieved so far in his life and career. Also serving as a love letter to New Jersey, it’s hard not to appreciate that when there is so much focus given to it.

Mancuso does just as good a job behind the camera as he does in front of it, making for a very likeable and charismatic leading man. While Rudy had his flaws, and some may not agree with some of the choices he makes, but one can’t help but connect to and root for the guy to make it out on top in the end. It’ll be interesting to see how he does what he could do in a less personal role, but his work here could very well open the doors to a lot of new acting opportunities and hopefully, it does. But as great as Mancuso is, Mendes is every bit his equal, delivering a charming performance of her own, despite not given nearly as much focus. She is just a natural at this point and her chemistry with Mancuso is both believable and very sweet as their relationship evolved over the course of the film. The rest of the supporting cast are also delightful, with J.B. Smoove (Anwar) and Marie Mancuso being the highlights.

That being said, aside from its style and energy, the film doesn’t bring anything new to the table aside from its Brazilian perspective and representation. Audiences can predict pretty much every single direction this the story is going to from the moment they are hinted at, and it really doesn’t offer a single surprise in terms of the plot or characters. Starting off stylish and in-your-face, it can take a little while to adjust to its style. Though it is nice to have a romcom come in at under 90-minutes, it almost feels like it should have been longer. Where that could have benefitted the film would have been its third act and ending especially.

In the end, Musica might not be a new romcom or coming-of-age classic by any means, but is enjoyable to watch from start to finish, putting Rudy Mancuso on the map as both a director and actor to watch out for. Much of that could be attributed to the strong performances of Mancuso and Camila Mendes and their stellar chemistry, but them aside, the film offers a little something for everyone.

still courtesy of Prime Video

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/