TMS Movie Review: Maria
(FilmNation / Netflix)
Pablo Larraín’s Maria marks the end of the filmmaker’s trilogy focused on tragic historical women. Following Jackie (2016) on former First Lady Jackie Kennedy dealing with the assassination of her powerful husband, and Spencer (2021) about Princess Diana Spencer-Windsor’s struggle with family and societal pressure; Maria is centered on the last few months of legendary opera singer Maria Callas while she’s isolated in Paris, France. Like the previous two period dramas, there are a few liberties taken with accuracy to fit a specific atmosphere and narrative Larraín frames with his character study. And like before, the visuals and performances almost make up for it.
In 1977, reluctantly retired Greek-American opera performer Maria Callas (Angelina Jolie) lives privately with her two dogs, housekeeper Bruna (Alba Rohrwacher) and butler Ferruccio (Pierfranco Favino). While her staff worries for her, Maria focuses on mentally accepting that her singing voice is past its prime and that she might be having hallucinations; in between being interviewed by a young, aspiring documentarian named Mandrax (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Alessandro Bressanello and Haluk Bilginer co-star as Maria’s ex-husband Giovanni Meneghini and her former lover Aristotle Onassis, while Valeria Golino makes an appearance as Maria’s older sister Yakinthi.
(FilmNation / Netflix)
Spencer screenwriter Steven Knight pens the script, while Edward Lachman contributes the striking cinematography, and Callas’ real opera recordings make up the soundtrack. Aesthetically speaking, Maria is the most attractive and highbrow feature film of the year. Larraín’s direction is top notch per usual and Lachman has the same Oscar worthy camerawork he was nominated before with Larraín’s El Conde (2023); here making use of 35mm film as well as both B&W and 8mm film for flashbacks. Not only is this an ode to Callas’ legacy, but also a reminder of how much of a legend Jolie herself is. Three years after her underwhelming comeback picture, Taylor Sheridan’s Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021), the movie star is truly back in one of the best female lead performances of the year. Not only is she a natural talent, but the true definition of a superstar, radiating with every close-up on film. While the screenplay itself isn’t really anything to write home about, my big problem was Larraín intentionally shoehorning in references to Onassis’ second wife, Jackie Kennedy, as well as cameos by John F. Kennedy (Caspar Phillipson) and Marilyn Monroe (Suzie Kennedy). The scenes felt more distracting than tongue-in-cheek to me, even if Callas has a direct affiliation to the three figures. But beyond this, Maria is a solid conclusion for Larraín’s trilogy, fans of Jolie and maybe even fans of Callas.