Maria

Pablo Larraín's Maria, the latest in his trilogy of biopics about troubled, iconic women, is a poetic meditation on Maria Callas, one of the most revered opera singers of the 20th century. Angelina Jolie, who embodies the essence of Callas, moves through the film's sumptuous staging like a haunted spirit. The film is visually sumptuous, enriched by Ed Lachman's cinematic brilliance and the meticulous artistry of production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas and costume designer Massimo Cantini Parrini. Yet beneath this veneer of opulence lies an emotional emptiness - the sense that the film, for all its reverence, fails to penetrate the layers of Callas's humanity.

Maria Callas, nicknamed La Divina, is an unrivalled figure in the world of opera. Her voice, described by Leonard Bernstein as the bible of opera, and her dramatic performances have transformed her into an icon. However, the film Maria is limited to the last week of the singer's life in 1977, framing her struggles with fading fame, personal loss and drug addiction within the gilded walls of her Paris apartment. The film opens with the stark image of Callas's lifeless body - a framing device that underlines the inevitability of her death but at the same time eases the tension of the narrative. Angelina Jolie's interpretation of Callas is a study in contradictions. On the one hand, she captures the soprano's regal poise and tragic vulnerability, delivering a performance of immense mastery and nuance. On the other hand, Steven Knight's script often undermines her efforts, reducing Callas' struggles to platitudes and episodic flashbacks that fail to convey the depth of her genius or the subtleties of her personal pain.

The film's greatest strength lies in its aesthetic achievements. Edward Lachman's cinematography alternates sepia tones for the present and black and white for Callas' memories, creating a visual dichotomy that reflects the gulf between the diva's fading reality and her vibrant past. Parrini's costumes, many of which are inspired by Callas' actual wardrobe, add an air of authenticity and grandeur. Angelina Jolie glides through the film in clothes that exude elegance, even as her character succumbs to despair. The Parisian setting, rendered with painterly precision, becomes a character in its own right, amplifying Callas' isolation. From the ornate interiors of her apartment to the hauntingly empty streets, every image is composed with the care of a Renaissance painting. 

However, these visual elements are often perceived as distractions from a narrative that struggles to find its feet.
Music, at the heart of Maria Callas' identity, is both a strength and a missed opportunity in Maria. Angelina Jolie is said to have undergone months of vocal training, and her voice blends harmoniously with Callas' recordings. Although the arias - including works by Verdi, Puccini and Bellini - are breathtakingly clear, they are used more to set the mood than as narrative tools. The film rarely dwells on the mechanics of Callas's art or the consequences of her vocal decline on her psyche, leaving a crucial aspect of her legacy unexplored. The use of opera as a metaphor for Callas's life is poignant but underdeveloped. Scenes such as her imagined orchestral performances or her confrontation with a critical journalist outside a rehearsal hall hint at deeper layers of complexity, but don't result in any meaningful exploration.

Maria Callas' relationship with Aristotle Onassis, played with gruff charm by Haluk Bilginer, occupies an important place in the narrative. Their tumultuous affair, marked by betrayal and enduring affection, offers some of the film's most emotionally charged moments. However, these flashbacks, rendered in black and white, seem detached from the actual narrative, resembling isolated vignettes more than elements of a coherent whole. Jolie's interactions with her loyal butler Ferruccio, played by Pierfrancesco Favino, and her devoted housekeeper Bruna, played by Alba Rohrwacher, offer glimpses of Maria Callas's humanity. Their quiet devotion contrasts sharply with the diva's often imperious attitude, underscoring the loneliness that marked her final days. However, these relationships are not sufficiently explored, leaving the audience waiting for more intimacy and understanding.

Maria concludes Larraín's trilogy, following Jackie and Spencer, both of which examined iconic women at critical moments in their lives. Whereas Jackie offered a penetrating look at Jacqueline Kennedy's grief and resilience, and Spencer delved into Princess Diana's psychological turmoil, Maria feels more like an elegy than an exploration. The film mourns Maria Callas' decline but rarely celebrates her triumphs, reducing her to a tragic figure rather than a multi-dimensional artist. This approach raises questions about the purpose of biopics: Are they supposed to humanize their subjects or elevate their legends? In Maria, Pablo Larraín leans towards the latter, creating a film that is more shrine than history. The inclusion of archival footage of Callas in the closing credits underscores the disparity between the real woman and her cinematic portrait, a stark reminder of the vitality and charisma the film struggles to capture.

Maria is a film of immense beauty and ambition, driven by Angelina Jolie's riveting performance. Yet her reverence for her subject becomes her greatest limitation, making Maria Callas more of an icon than a person. While opera lovers may find much to admire in its visual and musical splendor, the film ultimately falls short of its goal of illuminating the life and soul of La Divina. Like a perfect aria devoid of emotion, Maria dazzles the senses but leaves the heart wanting more.

Maria
Directed by Pablo Larraín
Written by Steven Knight
Produced by Juan de Dios Larraín, Jonas Dornbach, Lorenzo Mieli, Pablo Larraín, Janine Jackowski, Maren Ade, Simone Gattoni
Starring Angelina Jolie, Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Cinematography : Edward Lachman
Edited by Sofía Subercaseaux
Production companies: Fremantle, The Apartment Pictures, Komplizen Film, Fabula, FilmNation Entertainment
Distributed by StudioCanal (Arp Sélection), Netflix (United States)
Release dates : August 29, 2024 (Venice), November 27, 2024 (United States), February 5, 2025 (France)
Running time : 124 minutes

Viewed on December 22, 2024 on Netflix

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