“Música” might seem like it’s hitting beats we’ve grown accustomed to, but Mancuso’s sweet, soulful feature debut doesn’t follow in others’ footsteps. What a gem.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 17, 2024

Now that Mancuso has gotten his origin story out onto the screen, it’s exciting to wonder what a sophomore effort could entail for him. For now, “Música” has earned him his filmmaking stripes.

| Apr 7, 2024

For all that creativity and technical wizardry, the most impressive thing about Música is that, if you’ve been paying attention to Mancuso’s work, nothing present in the movie is entirely new.

| Apr 5, 2024

Even when its narrative tips into clichéd territory, Música’s aesthetic remains loose and kinetic — an exciting reflection of its creator’s spirit.

| Apr 5, 2024

Mancuso crams all of his passions into the movie, including the puppets (which, with his cartoonish coif, he resembles). He’s playing a character who is occasionally too passive. Yet, he’s made a film that’s confidently, intentionally overwhelming.

| Apr 4, 2024

Despite a few unfinished edges and missteps, there’s much to savor in Mancuso’s feature debut.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 4, 2024

“Música” heralds the arrival of a filmmaker, an actor, and a musician worth paying attention to, while also delivering a winning and visually inventive musical comedy.

| Original Score: B+ | Mar 26, 2024