Premiere at the New York Film Festival

Tony Gilroy presented the world premiere of his drama "Behemoth!" at the New York Film Festival, marking his first feature film since directing "The Bourne Legacy" in 2012. Known recently as the showrunner of the television series "Andor" and the director of the 2007 film "Michael Clayton", Gilroy returns to cinema with a character study centered on the world of Los Angeles soundstages and classical musicians. The project features Pedro Pascal in the lead role alongside a supporting cast that includes Will Arnett, JoBeth Williams, Hank Azaria, Alexa Swinton, Eva Victor, Olivia Wilde, and Thomas Kretschmann. The production incorporates music credited to nine composers, dubbed The Behemoth! Collective, including Alan Silvestri, Michael Giacchino, and James Newton Howard.

Plot and musical legacy

The narrative follows Alex Serian, an avoidant and renowned classical cellist who returns to Los Angeles after spending two decades performing with orchestras on the road. Facing a shifting industry where symphony pay has declined, Alex takes on session work recording scores for commercial films and television productions. His return brings him back into contact with his family, whose multi-generational history is tied to the music industry. His grandfather died in 1959 while playing as a movie session player, his father Peter worked dissatisfied as a cartoon composer, his mother Ginnie is a former harpist dealing with declining health, and his brother Andy previously found success in a 1990s rock band.

Nonlinear structure and central mystery

Gilroy structures the film nonlinearly, jumping between current recording sessions and memories from Alex's past. While recording movie cues, such as a chase scene for an action comedy titled "Spies Don't Run", Alex reflects on a past encounter in Chicago with a married woman played by Olivia Wilde. He also remembers a passionate affair six years prior with a fellow violinist named Nadia.

Following Nadia's death, Alex encounters Viviana Glenn, a 15-year-old prodigy with a large pop following who is hired to replace the composer on the secret studio project code-named "Behemoth!". Alex questions whether he is Viviana's biological father, pursuing the possibility while navigating demanding sessions overseen by an exacting conductor played by Thomas Kretschmann and mentoring a young cellist played by Kaya Ralls.

Critical reception

Early reviews from festival screenings presented divergent assessments of the film's tone and structure. Critics writing for Variety and IndieWire praised the authenticity of its portrayal of Los Angeles recording stages, rehearsal jargon, and intricate score work. They noted that the movie accurately captures the pressure on studio musicians and the technical details of film scoring. In contrast, a review in The Guardian criticized the non-linear timeline leaps, arguing that the shifting subplots and emotional dynamics between characters left the central narrative feeling unfocused. The review also argued that the film struggled to balance its varied tones across grief, family drama, and musical performance.