User Reviews

Rudy is torn between 2 lovers and feeling like a fool. Pressured by his Mum and friends to sort himself out, but all he wants to do is make music and play with his puppets. Dumped by his girlfriend but then meets another girl who urges him on.

I had no idea what this was going to be like, and at first it sort of reminded me of Little Shop of Horrors in the way it combines theatre type performing, film acting and puppetry.

It deftly handles problems with breakups and the 'tween time' from the breakup to the meeting someone new. We've probably all been there and we've also been at that point in our lives when we have no proper clue what we are doing.

Isabella prompts him to pursue his dream and because of his amorous intentions to her he does just that. His mother, played by his real life Brazilian mother Maria Mancuso, is so perfect for the role it's untrue. Her first time ever in a movie too.

The cinematography is playful and I love the live action scenes where his synaesthesia is playing up. Everything about this film is great. Odd in parts, but likeable anyway.

This is Rudy's directorial debut and I believe he's struck paydirt instantly. Can't wait to see what else he does. A solid 7 from me.

This movie was very beautifully done. The cinematography, editing, and directing choices were on point.

Cami Mendes is gorgeous and she steals the movie. In addition, there were funny moments with the puppet.

However, there is something missing about this movie. It felt a bit boring at times. I think there needed to be more work on the conflict or building more character development in relation to the conflict in the story. Personally, I needed more buy in to what he was going through.

Overall, I enjoyed it. I've always like Rudy's shorts, and I think the years of creating short videos has really paid off.

Musica is a strange film, because despite the fact it has a couple of strong leads, a relatively novel concept and decent plot, and an approachable runtime, it still feels a little empty.

I think ultimately the emotional core to this movie just doesn't resonate. All of the connections to the characters were are too surface level. It needed more. More passion. More drama. Maybe that is the real issue with this film. It strangely lacks passion given that the subject matter is a man pursuing his passion. It felt like it needed to raise its voice a bit more.

That being said there are some fun creative choices with the use of sound and music, and as mentioned the lead performances are pretty strong for the way the roles were written.

So although this film never quite dips into being bland, it flirts with the idea but just about manages to stay entertaining. It could have done with an injection of passion or something just to give it more of a spark, but it is a relatively easy and fun watch nonetheless.

So, Rudy Mancuso wrote and directed 'Musica', and in it he stars as Rudy, a person with synesthesia, a perceptual phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. In this movie Rudy mostly experiences this in everyday sounds, kids playing ball, cooks tapping their utensils, bus and subway sounds, those sorts of things. But to him they are rhythms and music.

In real life this is Rudy Mancuso. In real life he is an accomplished musician, he is a puppeteer, so this movie is mostly autobiographical. The fictional part is having a 'gringa' for a girlfriend and realizing that they weren't really a good fit for each other.

Then one faithful day Rudy is picking up fish at the local market and gets hit on his face with a fish thrown by one of the workers. In that process he meets fellow Brazilian, Camila Mendes as Isabella. Continuing the reflection of real life, Rudy and Camilla met during the making of this movie and now, in real life they are a couple.

It also appears that Rudy's movie mother, Maria, is played by his real mother, Maria, although I can't find out anything about her.

All that aside, is it an entertaining movie? Yes, it is. While the bare-bones rom-com story follows a mostly familiar formula, the way the movie is made is unique and quirky. It was refreshing to watch a movie presented in a totally different manner.

My wife and I watched it at home, streaming on Amazon Prime.

What i absolutely loved about the movie was how the beat interpretations were filmed because it's not an easy job to bring so many people together and create a visual of how every note is being made and then those notes coming together to create music!!! Hats off to all those people who were dancing, playing, jump roping, stomping, clapping for those scenes.

And then the lyrics showcasing on the walls of the subway station and the ceiling, such a brilliant touch!!!

And the double dating scene !!! That will surely give u a theatre experience as i have never seen something like that in a movie, kudos to all the creative people for making that happen so smoothly !!!

And, Diego !!! I have been a fan of Diego for over 3 years so i was so happy to see him getting a movie and letting ppl see his origin story. To be honest, i would have enjoyed the movie more if it was just Diego and Rudy discussing life because the texting between Hailey and Rudy (Diego) was so hilarious. But the love triangle kinda fell flat. There was everything in the movie to make it a cutesy RomCom but felt something missing, like the last missing sprinkle of sugar on a dessert.

For a music-based film, I found it very disappointing to hear such boring beats. Nothing inventive or attractive. Some music scenes seem to want to get closer to La La Land but fail miserably... As for the story it could be a good romantic film but it's not, it's just boring. I found it strange, for example, that the main character could initially only be interested in music to the point of not hearing what his girlfriend says but rushing in as soon as another relationship presents itself even though it does not seem to be part of his interests.

I really wanted to give it a chance but it was a bore until the end.

You may have enjoyed Rudy Mancuso's YouTube and Awkward Puppets videos, but nothing prepares you for his breezy, endlessly playful and inventive feature film directing and co-writing debut.

The apparently autobiographical plot is a simple coming of age romantic comedy, but Mancuso peppers the film with rhythm, music, and delightful sight gags that tweak film conventions and keep the story tripping along in a seemingly effortless way.

Bonus points for terrific romantic chemistry between the two leads, pitch perfect pacing and casting across the board, wonderful use of color, and the feature film debut that Diego the puppet deserves!

I'm glad Rudy Mancuso was able to accomplish this. I've been keeping up with his YouTube content from afar for some time, and it's clear to me that he's brimming with creativity. I always knew he was capable of bringing a full-length production to life.

"Música" is a pretty enjoyable passion project. The set designs are so imaginative and immersive. The music is very animated and lively. The script has a comical undertone that just sucks you into the mind of the main character, and it mostly works. It makes for an entertaining film. However, the movie's shortcomings are a bit apparent in its inability to thoroughly flesh out the story. It offers fragments that hint at a complete narrative, yet lacks the depth needed for a fully rounded tale. While the story has a complete "arc", it doesn't necessarily convey the depth of the various elements in this story. It often feels like we're passive observers, seldom actively engaging in this character's journey.

But, by all means, see this movie. It's a unique, colourful experience with a couple of fresh ideas and enjoyable performances. It has a ton of funny moments too.

I love this movie. Especially the good music and a fresh perspective. The creative portrayal of synesthesia was fun. I can see how it could wear on you hearing music all of the time. It would be distracting for me and irritating to others.

I appreciate the courage to address racism and mental health in a healthy, more relaxed way; without making it overly dramatic or angry or losing the focus of the film. This is a rom com.

I enjoyed Rudy's sense of humor and seeing how he engages with people in different relationships and situations. He is a sweet guy and a good man. Now I only wish he had a single uncle to send my way! LOL.

While I thought the film had a very new and unique style about it that I enjoyed, and many funny moments sprinkled in and out (the scene at the Brazilian restaurant had me laughing in tears), parts of the main story line were hard to get behind.

Rudy's relationship with Isabella just seemed to have so many holes in it. In a way it almost seemed as if her character was more of a figment of his imagination than one of actual reality. It was hard for me to understand the dynamic between these two characters or how their relationship with one and other even started.

As for how the movie ended it was one of those upsetting endings that never fully closed off the story. Also the person that Rudy became seemed so far fetched for me to really buy into that sort of narrative

Overall I think there were too many conflicting elements to the story for it to be something great. I'm happy to have watched this for the new and interesting visuals, catchy beats and laughable moments, though without the backbone of a unified and coherent story, it started to feel like watching this movie was just a waste of time.

5 stars!

The way the music is used in this film is exceptional.

There is Edgar level cool and then there is this.

The acting is so convincing.

It is really hard for me to find faults in this.

I was blown away by the production design , music and direction in this film.

There are only a very few films that has made me cry with joy and this film is definitely one of them.

The last time I was this overjoyed was when I saw Across the Spiderverse.

So glad that Rudy was able to pull this off.

Been following him from his Youtube days.

He is truly an inspiration.

This movie is pure magic.

The fact that it is based on a true story is a cherry on top.

I tried with this movie, but midway through both my viewing partner and I had had more than enough. The flash mob rhythm and dance scenes get very old very quickly. The interchanges between "fantasy" and reality are choppy and jarring. Combining quirky puppetry scenes and the "musical" synesthesia scenes in the same movie was overdoing it - especially so in a film that was also switching in between English and Brazilian Portuguese. Coisa feia né? I think that the female actors especially the mother and the fish seller were good. My two stars are for them. The lead actor and the pitta bread seller were weak. )Although in fairness to the pitta seller, he was not given good lines to work with). So there was also an imbalance in the quality of the acting within a disjointed story.

A creative and clever movie about a different kind of guy, Musica shows us what it's like to live with synesthesia, hearing rhythm in everyday sounds.

Musica is filled with bright colors, percussive movement and beautiful music. It's a coming of age film that shows Rudy struggling through life and love as he strives to be himself. And yes, there are puppets.

This is a sweet story of a young man finding his way in the world. Rated PG-13 you could watch with your mom and not be embarrassed for a moment.

Anyone from an ethnic family - any ethnicity - will get the nuances of the family relationships, the ties to the neighborhood, and always being asked if you've eaten.

I highly recommend this entertaining and lovely movie.

This was one of the greatest films I have ever seen! So well put together! The camera work and thoughtfulness that went into each scene was captivating. The story is almost second to the wonderful art piece this is. The kids also loved that the main Writer/Actor was someone they recognized from TikTok from his puppetry. I could see how some may have a hard time focusing on whats happening, I can also see the irony in that statement!

This movie has honestly given me some inspiration to meet some of the people involved in creating it and maybe working on a future production!

So happy I happened upon this for a family movie night!

Personally i indetified with what was happening in the movie so much. I am brazilian myself and seeing how he appreciated the culture but still had to deal with the stereotypical comments and the struggle of sometimes having to hide aspects of your culture made me relate. I just found the way he told he's story so amazing and how he deals with synesthesia and showed how he views life through he's eyes just made it that much more beautiful. I feel like i really got to learn more about Rudy then just based of he's vines and youtube shorts. I hope he produces more movies because i would definitely watch them over and over again. Also i am a sucker for romance so i love how that was also implemented there but not making it the main focus of he's movie, because at the end of the day it's he's story.

Alsoooooo anytime Diego made an appearance or spoke i was laughing so much, the puppet show at the end really gave it the perfect ending without and ending if you know what i mean. It's just because he took he's dreams and made them come true but that's not the end of Rudy which made it so much more meaningful 😭.

Warning: I've been a fan of Rudy Mancuso's for a while (vines, YouTube, "Coco at the Hollywood Bowl", etc) and I have come to realize what a brilliant talent he is. Most of his work is placing himself as the "straight man" in a world of comedy which he does in this film (if only he had the same faith in himself as we do!). Yes the plot is simplistic and almost retro (as in boy meets girl, etc.) but the dialogue, acting and situations make it feel fresh. Now on top of that he places the importance of music and hearing/seeing the world around him. It adds another creative layer. There are so many humorous moments in the film where one finds themselves chuckling to themselves as it almost sounds like internal dialogues we have all had. I love it.

Mendes fits right into his world without being "actor-y" and feels completely normal. The biggest comedic star is Rudy's mom: if you aren't aware of her impact on his life and videos, then her role in this film should give you a taste.

Is this film an "Oppenheimer"? No. But is it worth a watch? Definitely!

I don't do reviews all the time, but I felt that this one really deserved. I'm big fan of Mancuso Puppet channel on youtube and I didn't know how talented he is. He directed the movie, he wrote the movie, he is the main actor, the music director, he sings and play in most of the scenes.

The movie is a cliche love story, but it's really well done. Very artistic! The filming is great, the scenes are very artistic (reminded me of a theater) and very fluid, it is light, it is funny and the music is amazing, mostly brazilian songs and rhythm (i loved how the sounds combined into music every scene).

Well, it's a good movie, short, funny, artistic and well done. It's clear that they put a lot of effort to create different scenes, which is rare nowadays. Movies became cheap, boring and really bad. Not because they don't have money to do it, but because they don't put a lot of effort into it. Mancuso was able to create a movie (with probably short budget) that brings life into it, art, music and happiness!

Would love to see more movies like this!

Congratulations to Mancuso, all the casting and the whole team!

"Musica," written and directed by Rudy, is a delightful musical journey that captivates audiences with its enchanting storyline and catchy tunes. Rudy's talent shines through in both the writing and direction, seamlessly weaving together a narrative that's both heartwarming and entertaining.

The film follows the adventures of Diego, a lovable puppet character brought to life by Rudy's imagination, as he navigates the ups and downs of pursuing his musical dreams. Rudy's YouTube channel, known for its wonderful works, sets the stage for the film's visually stunning and emotionally resonant scenes.

From the opening number to the final crescendo, "Musica" delivers a toe-tapping soundtrack that stays with you long after the credits roll. Rudy's expertise in crafting engaging content shines through, creating a cinematic experience that's as enjoyable for adults as it is for children.

But beyond the music and visuals, "Musica" also delivers a heartfelt message about the power of perseverance and following your passions. Through Diego's journey, audiences are reminded of the importance of staying true to oneself, even in the face of adversity.

In conclusion, "Musica" is a must-see for anyone looking for a charming and uplifting musical experience. With Rudy at the helm, accompanied by his beloved puppet character Diego, this film is sure to leave a lasting impression on audiences of all ages.

If you're looking for something new to watch, this is most definitely worth a view. This percussion-studded, dance-crazed, spirit lifting gem is worthy of every moment. What a sweet, warm and funny piece on a real life condition. Rudy is real! The story is real! Camilla Mendez, who always delivers, does it again. Together they put this little feature on the map. A musical subway stranger offers wisdom and wit. Rudy's Mom, played by Rudy's Mom, is absolutely delicious. JB Smoove lays down the sassy.

This tappity tap tap, rappity-rap rap will ignite the blood in your veins and get you clackity-clack-clacking with the groove.

Can't wait to see what this dynamic duo has for us next!

This unexpected gem of a film caught me off guard in the best way possible. Initially expecting just another musical, I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and artistry woven into every aspect of the movie.

From the outset, it's evident that this isn't your typical musical fare. Each scene is meticulously crafted with its own unique musicality, drawing the audience deeper into the narrative.

But what truly sets this film apart is Rudy's exceptional storytelling and acting prowess. His performance is nothing short of phenomenal, imbuing his character with a depth and authenticity that immediately captivates. Through his expressions alone, Rudy demonstrates the mark of a seasoned actor, effortlessly drawing viewers into the emotional core of the story.

Yet perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the film is Rudy's direction. His vision permeates every frame, guiding the audience through a journey that is as visually stunning as it is emotionally resonant. It's a testament to his talent that he's able to wear both hats-actor and director-with such finesse.

Prior to watching this film, Rudy may have been a relative unknown to me, but his work here has left an indelible impression.