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| Gael Garcia Bernal |
If asked a year ago if Amazon Prime stood any reputable chance of being a threat with great original programming, I'd likely scoff at you. While the website's services remain invaluable to the modern internet collective, it didn't seem like they were all too concerned on being anything more than providing a streaming service competition for Netflix and Hulu. In fact, their shows prior to 2014 ranged from forgettable to subpar. However, as the year came to a close, it all changed. Between the groundbreaking work of Transparent and fellow freshman series Mozart in the Jungle, Amazon Prime has officially found its voice, and it is quite an impressive one at that.
There's a certain twee eclecticism that one expects when judging a show co-created by Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman and Alex Timbers. Together, they have created some of the most bizarre intellectual humor of the indie genre of the past decade. Here, they bring their unfettered love of performing arts to the stage with a great cast lead by Lola Kirke as Hailey, who wishes to join an orchestra (lead by Gael Garcia Bernal as Rodrigo), the show is if nothing but an excuse to do a lot of band geek jokes. If the idea of discussing music theory in obscure ways delights you, then hop on this show immediately.
While the show itself is lacking in a definitive quality, the show's cast has too great of a chemistry to squander even the less inspired moments. Serving as a mixture of art house and outcast humor, these performers manage to use their obsessions as their drive. Without their instrument, they would be broke and living on the street. There's a drive in them that is at times bittersweet and hilarious. With a slew of eccentric personalities (the great Bernadette Peters as the confident Gloria), the world is inhabited in ways that undermine the more pretentious aspects, allowing for the show to exist in its own strange tone.
The biggest revelation of the series is Hailey, who comes about her position in the orchestra in a very fish out of water way. After arriving to an audition late, she entices Rodrigo by playing in an empty theater. From there, she manages to deal with people of every trope from jealous band rival to intellectual weirdo. Thankfully Rodrigo is too enthusiastic and optimistic to let the looming failures keep him from putting on a great show. Even the crazy artist who botches the final recital unveils something exciting about the characters. Still, it is predominantly Hailey's journey to becoming part of a prestigious group of performers, who offer the audience at least one performance per episode. Even in terms of best friend characters such as Lizzie (Hannah Dunne), the show is well populated and the artistry is thrown into a more mature gaze that keeps things from becoming too inherently ridiculous.
If the show has one flaw, it is that it feels too nuanced at times. Yes, the general premise of the show is great and the cast makes this worth checking out. However, it does feel like a series of events tied to putting on a show that frankly can get a little tiresome. While I come away really liking the series, it is hard to recommend to anyone that doesn't appreciate the comedy behind being dedicated to musical performance, which is the antithetical beauty to Transparent. Still, it is a great show that unfortunately flew under the radar and was released in the last week of 2014 when nobody cared to put it on their Best of 2014 lists (it would've made mine).
Mozart in the Jungle is a bungled body of joy that doesn't entirely work, but is consistently engaging and charming. If stories of musicians in New York dealing with egos and finances sound amusing, then there's a good chance that this will be for you. With excellent directorial and written work by Coppola, Schwartzman and Paul Weitz scattered throughout, there's a sense of love to each frame that makes it a relief in the realm of intellectual humor. It probably needs some work to even be considered in the same vein as Transparent, but it gives Amazon Prime levity that its one hit wonder status didn't have before. Because of this show, I am not only curious to see more of Mozart in the Jungle, but I want to see where this streaming service goes next and if its crazy release schedule will actually be able to compete against Netflix's excellent content.
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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