Writer/director Tony Gilroy (of “Michael Clayton” and “Duplicity”) returns with his first feature film since 2012’s “The Bourne Legacy”. It’s “Behemoth!” — a music drama that opens on a recording soundstage, with longtime cellist Alex (played by Pedro Pascal). The dialogue and energy feel grounded and authentic. Gilroy instantly creates an immersive atmosphere that’s reminiscent of the best movie of 2022, Todd Field’s “TAR”, which starred Cate Blanchett as a renowned conductor.
Music is definitely an element of “Behemoth!”, with nine composers contributing to the score, but it’s not actually the focal point. That would be the ups and downs of Alex’s life, told in a fractured timeline narrative over a 15-year period. After the first 15-20 minutes, the script expands outside the soundstage and orchestra halls to present Alex’s career, familial and romantic relationship problems. And much of it, unfortunately, just isn’t that interesting.
This is a stretched-out melodrama with increasingly absurd plot turns and weak supporting characters. Olivia Wilde follows-up her over-the-top work in “The Invite” with another heightened role, as Alex’s ex Carol. Will Arnett (one of the only positives of last year’s Bradley Cooper dramedy “Is This Thing On?”) plays Alex’s brother Andy, who really drags down the momentum and, like others in the ensemble, offers little to the story’s overall impact.
Eventually Gilroy reveals his true intentions with this saga, though he goes through overly complex and silly efforts to get us there. The final 10-15 minutes aren’t terrible but rather straightforward. However, through it all, is Pascal. This is, without question, the best film performance of his career. He has a command and confidence in this role that I haven’t seen from him before. His facial expressions, tone of voice and the way he approaches key moments really work. And on top of that, he’s playing the cello. It’s a competitive year for the Best Actor category, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets nominated by the major groups, including The Academy. Pascal makes “Behemoth!” worth watching, even though nearly everything surrounding him is pretty flat.
LCJ GRADE: C
“Behemoth!” opens in theaters on December 4th. Running Time: 127 min.