The rhythms of life abound in director/writer/star Rudy Mancuso’s debut feature film, Música, a charming little piece about finding love and searching for one’s role in the play of life. In this fantastically imaginative piece, Mancuso stars, directs, co-writes (with Danny Lagana), choreographs, and composes the score.

In his real life, the director suffers from a neurological condition called “synesthesia” that causes his mind to create rhythms with normal everyday sounds. The director uses this to great effect, as experiencing the constant musicality through the main character gives Música a unique cinematic language.

Shooting in and around the New Jersey neighborhoods of his childhood and based on events in his life, Mancuso stars as “Rudy”, a young man who finds himself socially and morally discombobulated after his breakup with longtime girlfriend Haley (Francesca Reale). Rudy lives with his mother (Mancuso’s real-life madre, Maria Mancuso). Momma loves her baby boy and just wants him to find a nice Brazilian woman and settle down, having never warmed to his Caucasian ex.

Immediately after Rudy meets the enchanting Brazilian-American free spirit, Isabella (a naturally charming Camilla Mendes), Haley realizes she misses him and comes back into his life, complicating things even further. Not wanting to deal with anything negative, he begins seeing both women at the same time.

Working hard to sidestep a career in marketing, Rudy performs a puppet show in one of the local subway stations, but struggles to make it into a sustainable career. Rudy’s food truck-owning best friend Anwar (J.B. Smoove, always the welcome scene stealer) placates him with useless advice, but exists as a sweet and attentive shoulder who is always there for his buddy. Their relationship has a genuine lived-in feel and both actors create an infectious chemistry.

On all levels, Música works surprisingly well. Mancuso and Lagana’s script is full of ideas, offering up something fresh in today’s bland cinematic landscape. Creating a fantastical environment with cinematographer Shane Hurlbut, Mancuso morphs the film into a rather intoxicating musical, but one without songs. Based on the lead character’s condition, the frame comes alive with background actors dancing interpretations of the rhythms in Rudy’s head. Each moment is inventive and alive and scored to lively Brazilian compositions, adding even more dazzle to the film.

Mancuso shows talent as a filmmaker, designing each scene with a smart and focused creativity. The director captures the attraction between Rudy and Isabella through patient means, softly unspooling their relationship by focusing on the quieter moments. The camera steals the slight touches and loving glances between the two, playing cinematic Cupid for the two characters.