★★★★½
Tony Gilroy’s latest film, Behemoth!, is as much a love letter to film composition and composers as it is a family drama about generational trauma and unresolved childhood issues.
The film follows Alex, a child prodigy and world-class cellist who returns to LA to care for his terminally ill mother while escaping his life in Chicago.
Penned by Gilroy, the film uses an unusual structure that moves between the present and recent past. His flashbacks and time loops nearly become problematic, but he pulls back just before they cross that threshold—a threshold that would have been much shallower if not for Pedro Pascal.
“Pedro Pascal captivates.”
Pascal delivers an astonishing performance, bringing enough charisma to the role to pull you back into the film after even the most abrupt time jump.
That charisma gives Gilroy room to weave the timelines together seamlessly, helping the film maintain its smooth, flowing tone and pacing. He creates tender, deep, and damning moments that reveal Alex’s unresolved childhood trauma between the film’s higher-dopamine sequences.
These moments expose the darker experiences that have shaped Alex’s relationships with romantic partners and family without disrupting the film’s overall rhythm.
My only issue with the script is the ending, which feels as though Gilroy wasn’t entirely sure how to conclude the story or where Alex should end up.
The ending leaves me torn. It can be interpreted as gracious and thoughtful, but it also seems to erase Alex’s development up to that point.
Gilroy’s stellar direction helps offset this uncertainty. He crafts a story that is easy to digest while centering a deeply withholding character whose intentions remain unclear, even when everything we know about him should make his final decision straightforward.
A rewatch may be necessary to fully grasp Alex’s internal motivations, but given the film’s style and execution, that rewatch would be exciting and rewarding.
“Gilroy’s direction is stellar.”
Gilroy uses nine composers to create the film’s score, which is without question the best-scored film of the year.
Together, they find the perfect balance for each scene without making the score feel forced, even when it takes the driver’s seat.
Following a Chicago performance, Alex runs through the snow as the score becomes almost overpowering. The cinematography keeps the sequence from becoming overwhelming.
Damián García crafts mesmerizing, bold compositions that allow the score to thrive without overshadowing the visuals.
The dark blue of that snowy winter night feels both bold and embracing. Paired with the intense score, it culminates in a fantastically effective sequence.
“Allowing the score to thrive without overshadowing the scenes.”
Olivia Wilde and Will Arnett also deliver outstanding performances that command attention.
Eva Victor and Alexa Swinton are equally impressive, crafting memorable characters who are essential to the story. Still, sharing the screen with Pascal and Wilde at the top of their game, they may be underappreciated.
Though the ending leaves me torn and still contemplating Gilroy’s intentions, the film as a whole is well-crafted, intriguing, and entertaining.
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