THE STORY – Follows the life story of the world’s greatest opera singer, Maria Callas, during her final days in 1970s Paris.
THE CAST – Angelina Jolie, Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer & Kodi Smit-McPhee
THE TEAM – Pablo Larraín (Director) & Steven Knight (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 123 Minutes
Though Chilean director Pablo Larraín has covered several genres and stories with his films, one theme he goes back to is profiling iconic women during tumultuous moments in their lives. He kicked off this trilogy with the 2016 Natalie Portman-led film “Jackie,” which followed the former first lady, Jackie Kennedy, in the immediate aftermath of her husband’s assassination. He followed it up with another legendary historical figure, Princess Diana, spending a less-than-desirable Christmas with the royal family in 2021’s “Spencer.” Both films were met with critical praise, especially for their leading ladies’ fully embodied and emotional performances, and cemented Larraín as a director who comprehensively understands his subjects and showcases them as complex individuals rather than one-dimensional characters, allowing them to reclaim their history in the process.
Now, Larraín closes out his trilogy with “Maria,” an intimate portrait of the renowned opera singer who sang for others her whole life but rarely found her own song within. Led by the incredible Academy Award-winning Angelina Jolie, who tugs at the heartstrings with her moving portrayal of the songbird trying to come out of her cage, screenwriter Steven Knight (who also penned “Spencer“) brilliantly captures the life of a woman, only this time with more emotional resonance and a lighter touch. Along with dazzling technical elements and a number of great supporting actors, “Maria” is a grand conclusion to Larraín’s trilogy and, like the films that came before it, shows once again he’s a director who knows precisely the kind of story he wants to tell, one that is outside the typical biopic drama.
Maria Callas died at the age of 53 from a heart attack, and her last few days are when Larraín chooses to tell her story. Though the final years of her life were filled with various health struggles, Maria lived an extraordinary life, showcased by a striking black-and-white and color montage at the start of the film. When the audience first sees Callas, it’s a stunning, intimate black-and-white scene in which Jolie is passionately singing directly to the camera. Edward Lachman’s cinematography is continuously breathtaking, as is the intricate production design, costumes, hairstyling, and makeup work, immersing us into the time period and allowing us to become fully enveloped by Jolie’s immense portrayal.
Maria’s days are spent pounding down pills, avoiding doctors, and asking her butler Ferruccio (Pierfrancesco Favino) to move her piano from one room to another and her housemaid (Alba Rohrwacher) whether she still has her phenomenal vocal abilities. Things seem somewhat content for her, but we soon realize that she hallucinates frequently, mainly seeing her once admirer Aristotle Onassis (Haluk Bilginer) or a television crew following her around, led by Mandrax (Kodi Smit-McPhee), which just so happens to be the name of the drug she’s taking. It is clear to Maria that she’s reached the end of her time on this earth but is not fully ready to throw it all away.
It takes some time to understand what Larraín is going for in his telling of Callas’ life, but at the center of “Maria” is an emotionally stirring, introspective story about finding one’s voice. After a lifetime of pleasing others, Maria has decided to take back her voice. Amid rumors of a potential comeback, she goes to rehearsals where she tries to channel La Callas, the diva who ruled opera stages worldwide and brought audiences to their feet. Through the black-and-white flashbacks, we see her at the height of her career, looking larger than life as she belts arias while wearing gorgeously attractive gowns. We mostly hear Callas’ commanding voice in scenes from the past, but Oscar-winner John Warhurst mixes Jolie’s voice in the present scenes as well to a startling effect. But regardless of who is actually singing, it’s Jolie’s soulful and heartbreaking portrayal that makes these moments come alive. She, too, is a diva when it comes to the big screen, and it’s so exciting to see her in a project that allows her to fully showcase her dramatic range. Her grand finale, in particular, is a standout scene that swells with profound feeling. “Jackie” and “Spencer” managed to land Academy Award nominations for their leading ladies, and in a just world, it would not only be right for Jolie to receive one as well but to win.
In addition to reclaiming her voice, Maria is trying to shed herself of all the traumas she’s experienced in life, including her childhood in Greece and her love affair with Onassis, who eventually left her to marry Jackie Kennedy (a full circle moment to the start of Larraín’s trilogy). Through these moments, the supporting players also get a moment to shine in the film. There’s a lovely scene between Maria and her sister Yakinthi (Valeria Golino) during which Yakinthi encourages her sister to “close the door” on that painful chapter of her life, and we see the tenderness shared between them. She also moved away from her career during her relationship with Onassis, another example of her talents not belonging to her. Bilginer hams it up every chance he gets, making his ultra-rich character the most pompous person in any room and also very fun to watch. But the most enjoyable moments are when Jolie, Favino, and Rohrwacher are sharing the screen together. Their banter is excellent – Maria, always full of sass and witty remarks, is always telling them to do something ridiculous – and their respect and adoration for one another radiates through in every scene, especially in the quieter moments between Maria and Ferruccio.
Larraín should feel proud of his biopic trilogy, which never faltered from spotlighting profoundly complex and tragic women who longed for something more in their lives. Featuring a virtuoso lead performance from Jolie and exceptional technical elements across the board, “Maria” is a triumphant high note for Larraín to close his trilogy on. With its beautiful story about reclaiming oneself, even if they’re close to the end of their life, this film stick with viewers for a long time afterward causing them to question their own mortality and legacy.
