By Jack Ransom - October 22, 2024
The third film in director Pablo Larrain’s unofficial trilogy of films that centre on iconic women of the 20th Century. Maria follows the life story of the world’s greatest opera singer, Maria Callas (Angelina Jolie), during her final days in 1970s Paris.
Spencer was my favourite film of 2021, and 2016’s Jackie was also an excellent watch, so I was very much anticipating this third feature centering on Callas. Like the previous two subjects of Larrain’s biopics, I was not particularly aware of their personal lives at all, and was really only aware of their portrayal in pop culture and the media. This was even more so the case for Callas, where outside of her name, I really knew nothing about her occupation, links to not only the Kennedy’s/Onassis', but also her level of stardom at the prime of her career. It was really only my enjoyment of Larrain’s approach to the biopic material and Jolie that really intrigued me and made this an absolute early viewing at London Film Festival this year.
Maria certainly showcases the aspects that I love about Larrain’s previous two biopic features: an instantaneously Oscar deserving lead performance, gorgeous cinematography and lavish sets, as well as the lines of reality and fantasy being seamlessly blurred as we venture inside the mind of the lead. That being said, from a structural and pacing perspective Maria is held back by a repetitive pattern, slow burning pacing and hindered emotional warmth towards Callas (outside of a handful of moments) that did radiate when necessary more strongly in both Jackie & Spencer.
The two hour duration allows us to fully immerse ourselves in Callas’ tragic, sheltered, anxiety driven and self-medicated post-on stage career that sees her in a loop of self-centred trips to cafe’s, bar’s and her old haunts as she simultaneously seeks praise and adoration for her past successes. Yet within her cold and oftentimes dry-witted demeanour, there is a desperation and drive to once again recapture the voice that meant so much to so many as she nervously attempts to retrace past glories in an empty auditorium. It may not entirely break free from familiar biopic traits, but Larrain’s dreamlike approach to the narrative presentation (and stylistic choices), does help add a sense of grandeur to the aspects that would oftentimes feel pompous and the he also tones down the melodrama and intimate moments to hushed levels. I do feel like the simultaneous hallucinogenic-esque ‘film-within-a-film’ approach (she agrees to a myriad of video-interviews) to some of the storytelling can feel a bit clunky in its execution, and as previously mentioned, the pacing does hinder investment at times.
This is certainly one of the most visually stunning films of this year. The ethereal colour palettes, vast and meticulously precise framing, lingering shots capturing every single minute facial expression movement, whimsical and monolithically beautifully Paris architecture. As expected the costumes, attention to details of the location interiors and the lighting effortlessly captures the era and Larrain utilises a myriad of stylistic choices that make the film visually compelling. Home footage filtering and handheld camerawork are prominent, bold and chromatic black and white film for the flashbacks, hypnotic operatic sections and the almost ghostly/supernatural-like imagery on display rumble with intensity.
Angelina Jolie delivers one of her career-best performances here. She is completely magnetic, mysterious, both frail and striking, glamorous and tired. It's not only a stunningly layered performance from a dialogue perspective, but Jolie’s physical portrayal of Callas at her prime as she commands the stage and draws the attention of every single person in any room she walks into, to the nerve ridden, exhausted and spindly framed Norma Desmond like faded star that haunts her apartment halls and the streets of Paris. Both Alba Rohrwacher & Pierfrancesco Favino are dedicated, concerned rays of light in Callas’ life. Kodi-Smit McPhee and Haluk Bilginer deliver charismatic and off-kilter portrayals of Mandrax and Aristotle Onassis respectively.
Maria showcases Jolie’s fantastic acting prowess and her clear dedication to the role and Larrain’s distinct stylistic flair and unique approach to the biopic formula. The cinematography is stunning, the streets of Paris, sets, costumes and production design immerse the viewer in the era. Whilst the slow burn pacing coasts along at the same wavelength as Callas’ approach to life, it does become recurrently noticeable, especially with the repeating pattern of the narrative and the screenplay doesn’t quite have the focus of Jackie & Spencer for me personally.
MARIA RELEASES IN CINEMAS JANUARY 10, 2025
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