Antonia, la chef d'orchestre

Christanne de Bruijn impersonated Antonia Brico in a perfect way. This movie is powerfull and emotional and gives a complete image of this time (1926-1929) and position of women. A film about perseverance and romance.

As a (classical) music lover and agreeing with the filmmaker that Antonia Brico more than deserves to be put in the spotlight, I had high expectations of this movie. Maybe they were set too high: I have mixed feelings after seeing it.

As a movie, I feel that it kept meandering around, never finding a steady pace. I found myself wondering multiple times about sudden jumps in the story that I felt deserved more attention. It was as if the movie wants to cover as much ground as possible at the cost of the flow - even where it doesn't really contribute to the story. Some characters felt like caricatures, which made this movie feel a bit politically motivated. Despite my sympathy for the cause I think that it shouldn't dominate.

Something similar goes for the role of the music in the movie: that, too, felt rather arbitrarily chosen - apart from that brief moment where "Rhapsody in Blue" is mentioned as "new music" (though it was already a few years old by then). In this movie the music itself could have played a much more profound role, but it did so only on a few fleeting moments, as when an angry and upset Antonia hammered Stravinsky on her ramshackle piano with the neighbours yelling "Silence!!" through the walls. I don't know what Ms. Brico's favourite repertoire was, but I can't help thinking what a marvellous role a piece like the Sacre du Printemps, or maybe Alban Berg's "To the memory of an Angel" could have played.

I'm writing this review, even if it feels like I'm still digesting it..

On one hand, it is impressive all it manages to tell in the span of 2 hours! The movie almost feels like a TV season.. when some movies barely say anything at all with more. On the other, some of its messages feel muddled.. some of its parts don't accomplish much! Parents, romance, difference in classes, women rights, societal perception and self acceptance, progress, etc etc. And you cannot remove them as everything chains together somehow (and removing the "mother" plot would deprive us from its best joke)! And as you are telling the entirety of someone's life (which doesn't seem to be entirely faithful to reality), everything is somehow necessary.

And while it has some VERY memorable lines and an excellent speech.. other lines of dialogue feel like they don't match the acting/scene. For example, the forceful relationship with the male lead or the caricature of her "mother".

Still, it is an interesting premise with a well-defined core. I love learning about the workings of little systems in society (for better or worse), and the frustration of it all (intended purpose) is carry throughout the entirety of the film. Beautiful sights, excellent colors and production, good acting (Muck and Robin), and musically satisfying.

I still enjoyed it overall! Even if some frustrating interactions could have been better written.

But easily recommended to anyone interested.

Women and men should learn from this film. Following passion through all to get to your goals although everybody, women and men, condemn you. Made for an Oscar

It is not fair or easy to say why it is a beautiful film. Sure, the rights of women, a self struggle, the noble dream, sad love story, real case are good pieces but not the most important. Something else give force and energy and beauty to this film. Maybe, the acting or the script or the cinematography or the aura of realised dream. It is not important. Significant remains the feeling seeing it.