Brad Pitt Calls Bradley Cooper’s Romantic 2023 Drama Film One of the Best of the Decade

Brad Pitt recently praised Bradley Cooper’s film “Maestro,” calling it one of the best movies of the decade. Even though they have a friendly rivalry over their favorite NFL teams, Pitt supports the Kansas City Chiefs while Cooper is a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan, their friendship stays strong. Pitt joked about their football rivalry while celebrating Cooper’s work as the director, writer, producer, and star of the movie.

On the “New Heights” podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce, Pitt talked about giving Cooper an award for “Maestro” in 2024. He shared a funny moment about Cooper’s many Oscar nominations.

Pitt said, “I have a confession: I’m friends with Bradley Cooper. He was getting an award for ‘Maestro,’ [which] is still probably one of the best movies of this decade. And I was giving him this award and he’s been nominated like 18 times for the Oscars. And I closed with, at the Santa Barbara Film Awards, ‘Listen, he’s been nominated the 19,000th time. You know, if he doesn’t get it, it’s OK. He’s used to it. He’s a Philadelphia Eagles fan.’” For accuracy, Cooper has been nominated for 12 Oscars so far.

“Maestro” is a romantic drama released in 2023 about Leonard Bernstein, the famous American composer, and his wife Felicia Montealegre. Bradley Cooper not only directed the film but also co-wrote the script with Josh Singer and starred as Bernstein. Carey Mulligan played Felicia, with Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, and Sarah Silverman in supporting roles.

The movie took a long time to come together. Plans for a Leonard Bernstein biopic started back in 2008 but got stuck for years. Directors like Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg were attached at different times but eventually stepped back, staying on as producers. Cooper signed on as the lead actor in 2017 and later became the director after the success of his first film, “A Star Is Born.” He rewrote the screenplay, and filming took place in 2022 across various locations like Los Angeles, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and England.

“Maestro” premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2023, where it was nominated for the Golden Lion. The movie had a limited theatrical release in November before arriving on Netflix in December.

Critics generally liked the film. Many praised Cooper’s direction and the performances by both him and Mulligan. However, some reviewers thought the writing and storytelling could have been stronger. The movie was named one of the top films of 2023 by several organizations and earned seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Cooper, and Best Actress for Mulligan. It also received multiple nominations at the BAFTA Awards, Golden Globes, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

On review websites, “Maestro” received mostly positive ratings. Critics applauded the strong acting and Cooper’s skill as a director. At the same time, some critics felt the film avoided showing more complicated or controversial sides of Bernstein’s life, which made the story feel less complete. Others found the movie’s style a little confusing or questioned how well Bernstein’s character was explored.

Overall, “Maestro” is seen as a passionate and bold film that has earned respect from both audiences and other filmmakers. Brad Pitt’s praise shows how important this movie has become for Cooper’s career and highlights it as one of the standout films in recent years.

If you want to share your thoughts on the film or these actors, feel free to leave a comment below.