I was looking for an autobiographical, documentary-type movie when I encountered Música (2024). I knew Camila Mendes from the Riverdale series. (Just in case you need to know, that series is based on Archie Comics.)
I like movies with a sense of self-discovery—movies that the protagonist is lost and tries to find themselves through a painful structure of self-redefinition and a process of transformation.
I don’t think there’s anyone on the planet who isn’t special. Each individual is special in their own way. As we all see the world through the window of our perception differently, Rudy perceives the world in his musical way.
I liked the sense of humor that was put into the movie through the role of his puppet. The puppet acted like a voice in his mind, manifested as an alter ego. His self-doubt makes him too weak and fragile to fight for what he wants. That’s actually his main problem: he doesn’t know what he wants. He doesn’t take things seriously until the moment his girlfriend breaks up with him. He’s shocked, and this sense of grief leads him to blame anyone or anything except himself. It goes on like this until he meets another girl named Isabella, who perceives the world differently. This is the moment he starts to question his previous perspective. Isabella helps him through this process of cognitive dissonance.
I’m not sure if we can explain his musical experience as synesthesia—a neurological condition where stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to involuntary experiences in another. If we assume this is accurate, we can interpret his experience as rhythmic synesthesia—perceiving everyday sounds as musical rhythms.
So I want to wrap up my understanding briefly:
Identity formation is predicated on a bunch of factors—family, society (culture, language), genetics, etc. This process becomes more difficult as you get older because you feel the opportunities slipping through your hands. We also need to consider societal expectations. It’s normal to be confused about who you are in your 20s or 30s, but it isn’t considered normal in your 40s. Identity is fluid, but you still need a solid point from which to build your life’s architecture. So, your 20s and college experience are the time to question your passions, abilities, and limitations. Life is short, but it’s never too late to build an authentic life.
Social connection and love are transformative. You need people who challenge you. You need to be surrounded by people who believe in you. A good friend can ignite the flames of motivation in you because they are able to see the parts of you that you’re blind to.
You need to accept who you are and embrace that in order to grow. Self-acceptance comes with self-kindness. Try to be empathetic toward yourself and others. Wherever kindness pours in, enlightenment and change are soon to follow.
