Pablo Larraín’s Maria is an emotionally driven spectacle, with an undeniable career-best performance from Angelina Jolie. Biopics like this aren’t an account of the artist’s life, and instead, they might be even a little stronger as they take viewers through a specific time that’s often so gutting it’s both hard to look at and impossible to look away from.
“And I live my life looking back.” The screenplay from Steven Knight drops some key moments that feel so integral to the past and significant for what this genre of film attempts to convey. More than anything, it’s Jolie’s performance of Maria Callas at this very moment that feels like a punch to the throat, followed by another where she fights back against a fan who voices his heartbreak after she canceled a show he was supposed to attend. Countless moments throughout the film feel breathtakingly lived in, bringing such raw depictions of an ailing woman to life that it’s astounding in every way.
Angelina Jolie is often a great performer, even when the film is nothing special. She brings something unique and worthwhile to the role, making it one of (or the) most memorable parts. Yet, Pablo Larraín’s Maria is a feat in all areas. Dare I say, it’s what a specific film that was released last year wanted to be. Jolie’s depiction of Maria Callas, both in the present day and in flashbacks, is a true triumph. It’s an example of how to study a person and bring parts of their remarkable career to life. Whether in silence or through actual operatic singing, Jolie shines in her depiction in a way that’s worth every accolade.
In more ways than one, a film like this hinges on the performances. Alongside Larraín’s visionary focus on undiluted vulnerability, it’s the actresses who glisten even amid the darkness they walk through. The same can be said for Spencer and Jackie. Jolie’s performance is soft and clipped and so achingly vulnerable that everything the actress taps into brings to life a moment in time that feels imperative to examine further. For a film that looks back and simultaneously does its part in preserving a part of history, Jolie ensures that we understand the depth of every haunting moment that leads to Callas’ last song.
There’s also something unquestionably brilliant about the voice work Jolie does to ensure she captures Maria Callas’ accent, susceptibilities, confusions, and her means of singing. I didn’t know she’d actually be singing in the role (which wouldn’t have mattered given the tremendous work she does to bring the star to life), but it makes every moment that much more powerful to bear witness to.
A lot can also be said about how there’s not a fragment of over-acting in the film, which unfortunately occurs frequently in biopics, but instead, every beat is brought to life through a careful understanding of the source. The best parts are the quiet moments where a closeup shot of Jolie tells us so much that it expertly delivers a myriad of emotions. The guttural need to get every beat of the performances right to showcase the losses Callas lived through contributes to making the film’s message feel that much more raw.
In addition, there’s a riveting disconnect present within the plot that further contributes to making Pablo Larraín’s Maria feel that much more nuanced as it juggles what’s real and what’s embellished. As we explore these decisions in his storytelling through Jolie’s performances, it results in a portrayal that feels significant to examining the celebrity through an eye that reminds viewers how we aren’t owed what’s strictly their business. What a person gives us one day versus what they take back the next is simply part of the job, and as human beings, we need to explore our entitlement. There’s another star in the rating for me for including this standpoint. From hair, make-up, costumes, all the brilliant performances, and every scenic, plus directorial choice that was made, Maria gleams as one of the most gorgeous films of the year.
Maria is now playing on Netflix.
First Featured Image Credit: Cr. Pablo Larraín/Netflix © 2024.