Musica movie storyine. The Rudy Mancuso in “Música” is about to graduate college and still lives at home with his endlessly loving, but obliviously overbearing mom. Mancuso’s real-life Brazilian-born mother, Maria Mancuso, plays herself in the film, further extending the ways in which the film plays with metafiction.
But while his girlfriend Haley (Francesca Reale) dreams of a life together, traditional careers and a pricy loft in Manhattan, Rudy makes insubstantial money performing his musical puppet show on the subway. That’s his peculiar passion. In moments that casually transcend reality, Rudy has conversations with his opinionated puppet Diego, an alter ego for the artist, about his lack of direction and convoluted love life.
Música is a 2024 American coming-of-age romantic comedy film starring and directed by Rudy Mancuso in his feature film directorial debut. Mancuso also co-wrote the screenplay with Dan Lagana and composed the film’s original soundtrack. Camila Mendes and J.B. Smoove co-star. Música had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 14, 2024, and was released by Amazon Prime Video on April 4, 2024.
About the Story
Rudy’s (Rudy Mancuso) life is somewhat of a mess and his girlfriend Haley (Francesca Reale) is tired of him zoning out on her. Rudy’s Brazilian mother Maria (Maria Mancuso) doesn’t like the white girl anyway, and so when she hears that Haley has broken up with Rudy, she thinks it’s the perfect opportunity to introduce him to women of his own heritage, the beautiful Brazilians. Rudy
hears music in everything; it’s almost like a form of therapy for him, and his escape from the real world. When he walks down the subway steps, it’s a piano. When he sits in a diner with his girlfriend, he can’t help but be distracted by the music of cooking and serving. This is exactly why Haley doesn’t feel like he cares for her at all. Additionally, he’s always dividing his attention between her and his mother, so she feels unseen.
Rudy is in his last year of school, and his only interests are puppets and music, something Haley doesn’t understand. She wants him to become more serious in life and get a real job when they live together at university (which happens in 6 weeks). Rudy spends most of his time working on these “hobbies” and works late into the morning down in the subway for some petty cash, which doesn’t really help his cause. Haley and Rudy have been together for 4 years. Rudy does puppet shows in the subway and is working on his music thesis. But Haley doesn’t believe that Rudy has made enough progress.
Plus, he lives at home with his mother. But at least that means he always has a lot of food on his plate. Being broken up makes Rudy realize he should take things a bit seriously. He tries to study hard, but it doesn’t really work. Maria sets Rudy up with a nice Brazilian girl named Luana (Camila Senna), which is really embarrassing for him. Luana is really aggressive in her approach, but Rudy pushes her back. This prompts Luana to walk away, telling Maria that Rudy needs help. His mother sends him to buy fish one day, and there, like the feeling of spring after a cold winter, he sees Isabella (Camila Mendes), a Brazilian. Isabella woks at the fish market and gaping at her Rudy is hit in the face with a fish.
Rudy returns to the store later and walks Isabella to a market fair that she was planning on visiting. Isabella is very different from Haley. She’s actually interested in seeing the world through Rudy’s eyes. Rudy shows how he can turn everyday regular sounds into a rhythm. Isabella suggests Rudy take his show “up” and actually work on it. In the meantime, at school, Haley notices him trying to ask questions in class (it’s only because it’s about music). Haley tells Rudy that she wants to give another shot to their relationship.
Now Rudy is stuck between his ex of four years, who wants to make things work out, and a fresh perspective, who is more understanding of him because of their matching backgrounds. Isabella tells him how her mother abandoned her when she was 15, and she went back to Brazil for a man. Rudy spends a lot of time chit-chatting with his puppet about Isabella.
Anwar (J.B. Smoove) is Rudy’s friend and runs a fast-food truck. Rudy confides in Anwar that at this point he finds both Isabella and Haley equally alluring. Anwar asks him to pursue both, while his puppet advises strongly against it.
Musica (2024)
Directed by: Rudy Mancuso
Starring: Rudy Mancuso, Camila Mendes, J.B. Smoove, Francesca Reale, Maria Mancuso, Gabriela Amerth, Andy Grotelueschen, Camila Senna, Regina Schneider, Andy Muschietti
Screenplay by: Rudy Mancuso, Dan Lagana
Production Design by: Patrick M. Sullivan Jr.
Cinematography by: Shane Hurlbut
Film Editing by: Melissa Kent
Costume Design by: Tere Duncan
Set Decoration by: Keri Lederman
Art Direction by: Gonzalo Cordoba
Music by: Rudy Mancuso
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some strong language, suggestive references and brief violence.
Distributed by: Amazon Prime Video
Release Date: March 14, 2024 (SXSW), April 4, 2024 (Prime Video)
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