Joey Magidson
Pedro Pascal has long deserved a big screen showcase like the one he gets in Behemoth!, the Centerpiece selection of the 2026 New York Film Festival. Not only delivering the best cinematic performance of his career, Pascal also gets to explore some tricky territory for writer/director Tony Gilroy. The film itself is good, often very good when certain sequences truly come alive, but its structure can also lead to a meandering feel at times. By the end, the journey is obviously more important than the destination, but what you’ll be thinking about most is Pascal.
Behemoth! is an odder movie than you might initially expect it to be. The narrative hopscotches around and switches tone depending on the type of music being conducted at that moment. It’s not complicated or hard to follow, and it can be very clever during its best uses. However, it also stunts some narrative momentum and keeps you from being as invested in the story as you might otherwise be. Still, Pascal is so good, you ultimately won’t really mind that much.
Alex Serian (Pascal) was once a child prodigy with the cello. Having lived in the shadow of his famous musical family, Alex eventually grew up to be a revered part of an orchestra in Chicago, after leaving Hollywood and the world of recording film scores, that is. However, prone to the occasional bit of self sabotage, he’s been having an affair with Carol Spedding (Olivia Wilde), the wife of one of the orchestra’s biggest benefactors. When he ends the relationship, she pursues him, leading to a literal escape. Returning to Los Angeles, he looks to get back into recording Hollywood movie scores, as well as deal with some of his unfinished family business.
Getting a job working on a studio lot, Alex bounces between work, mentoring an up and coming musician in Bronte (Kaya Ralls), and dealing with his self-centered rocker brother Andy (Will Arnett) as they navigate the end of their mother’s life. As it happens, he remembers moments from his life, which in turn are keyed in to the type of orchestral score he’s helping to record. Whether it’s Boston, Chicago, or Dallas, he’s recounting in his head the key moments of his life, with violinist Nadia (Eva Victor) a centerpiece figure, for reasons that only become clearer later on.
Pedro Pascal leads the way with one of the most quietly affecting performances of the year. Pascal is funny in several scenes, but others straight up break your heart. It’s an exceptionally internalized performance, one with a ton of eye acting to capture your attention. It’s terrifically compelling work. From first scene to last, I was captivated by what he was doing, even when it came to the music, which he makes surprisingly believable. Eva Victor is also impressive, leaving a big impression with only limited time on the screen. Will Arnett is amusing as the self-absorbed brother, especially in his final scene, which showcases the chemistry he has with Pascal. As for Olivia Wilde, I was not fond of the way her character was written, though her fiery performance helps to overcome that, in part. In addition to a solid Kaya Ralls, the large supporting cast includes Hank Azaria, Zlatko Buric, Thomas Kretschmann, Margarita Levieva, Matthew Lillard, Alia Shawkat, Alexa Swinton, JoBeth Williams, and more.
Filmmaker Tony Gilroy has an ace up his sleeve aside from Pascal, and it’s “The Behemoth! Collective,” a group of nine composers who contribute the score. They consist of Michael Abels, Emily Bear, Lukas Frank, Michael Giacchino, James Newton Howard, Henry Jackman, Nami Melumad, Brandan Roberts, and Alan Silvestri. What could have been a sonic mess ends up making perfect sense for the story being told. Gilroy directs this one elegantly, so even in quiet scenes, it always looks good. It’s the script that has more highs and lows. When the formal structure is at its best, I was locked in, especially when things resemble a spy flick for a few minutes. Other times, you struggle to invest in Alex as much as you should. Then, there’s the writing of the female characters, which pale in complexity to Alex. The acting helps there, but it’s a noticeable disparity.
Behemoth! is a good film, though arguably one that should be great, especially considering the level that Pedro Pascal is working on. Even with its imperfections, it’s still wonderful to see Tony Gilroy’s work back on the big screen. As the Centerpiece of NYFF, it’s work that deserves to be seen, that much is for certain.
SCORE: ★★★
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