Pablo Larrain’s latest biopic, featuring a captivating performance from Angelina Jolie, stands out as the most accessible entry in his trilogy that includes Jackie and Spencer. This film delves into the complex life of the iconic opera singer, offering audiences a unique perspective on her struggles and triumphs.

Exploring the Intriguing Plot of Maria Callas: The narrative follows the legendary opera singer Maria Callas as she retreats to Paris during the 1970s, a period marked by her glamorous yet turbulent public life. This backdrop sets the stage for an exploration of her inner turmoil and the solitude that enveloped her in her later years.

A Deep Dive into the Review of Maria: Maria marks the conclusion of Pablo Larrain’s loose biographical trilogy about prominent women of the twentieth century, following his acclaimed films Jackie and Spencer. This biopic focuses on Maria Callas, a name perhaps less recognizable than Jackie Kennedy or Princess Diana, allowing for a more intimate examination of her life. Unlike the more distanced portrayals in Larrain’s previous films, Maria enables a closer connection to its subject. While it retains some of the languid pacing and creative inconsistencies seen in Larrain’s earlier works, Angelina Jolie’s portrayal of Callas is nothing short of mesmerizing, destined to be regarded as one of the standout performances of the year and her illustrious career.

Unveiling the Final Days of a Legend: Rather than following a traditional narrative arc, Maria zeroes in on the concluding chapter of Callas’s life, showcasing her struggles with fame and personal demons. Born in New York and raised in Athens, Greece, Callas achieved unparalleled success as an opera singer, leaving behind a legacy of recordings that showcase her remarkable vocal abilities. The film captures her life in seclusion during 1973, where she resides with her loyal butler, Ferruccio, and housemaid, Bruna. As she grapples with addiction and deteriorating health, Callas experiences vivid hallucinations and engages in imagined conversations with a documentary filmmaker named Mandrax. Throughout this period, she also strives to reclaim her singing voice with the support of conductor Jeffrey Tate, despite her doctors’ cautions. In these moments, she reflects on her past, including her passionate affair with Aristotle Onassis.

Musical Moments and Artistic Choices in Maria: Maria is infused with musical reimaginings, prominently featuring Jolie’s lip-synced performances. To prepare, Jolie dedicated seven months to mastering the art of opera singing, yet the film ultimately relies on Callas’s original voice to convey the authenticity of her talent. In the film’s climax, audiences are treated to a glimpse of Jolie’s singing, enhancing the realism of the musical elements. Most of the narrative focuses on Callas during her thirties, leading up to her tragic passing at fifty-three. The film introduces her sister, Yakinthi, but predominantly centers on Callas’s interactions with her devoted staff, who also serve as her closest confidants. Flashbacks reveal her enduring love for Onassis, despite his marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy, creating a poignant connection to Larrain’s earlier film, Jackie, with a brief appearance by John F. Kennedy, played again by Caspar Phillipson.

Angelina Jolie’s Remarkable Comeback in Maria: In recent years, Angelina Jolie has taken on fewer acting roles, mainly participating in voice work and appearances in films like Those Who Wish Me Dead and Eternals. However, her portrayal in Maria stands as one of her most powerful performances to date. Throughout the film, Jolie’s nuanced acting captures the essence of Callas’s emotional struggles, often conveyed through subtle gestures rather than loud outbursts. She adopts a transatlantic accent that disguises her authentic New York City or Greek roots, delivering a performance that is both restrained and poignant. This film is replete with intimate moments that highlight the dynamic relationships Callas had with those around her. Her quirky requests to Ferruccio about her grand piano or her reluctance to listen to her own recordings showcase her complexities. Simultaneously, her interactions with her doctor and Onassis reflect the resilience Callas displayed amidst the harsh judgments from critics and the public regarding her career’s decline.

Visual Storytelling and Artistic Collaboration in Maria: Collaborating once more with screenwriter Steven Knight, who also worked on Spencer, director Pablo Larrain successfully creates a more fluid narrative in Maria. The film showcases surreal visuals that evoke Callas’s memories and hallucinations, enhanced by Larrain’s distinctive editing style and creative visual techniques. The narrative transitions through various visual formats, including black-and-white and sepia-toned footage, capturing the essence of five decades of Callas’s life. With a runtime of approximately two hours, Maria maintains a more engaging pace compared to Jackie and Spencer, making it a compelling watch, even when dealing with the less familiar subject matter. While the musical sequences may not be the film’s strongest points, they contribute to the overall narrative, though Jolie’s measured performance may not fully match the extraordinary range of Callas’s original voice.

A Heartfelt Reflection on the Life of Maria Callas: Angelina Jolie’s performance resonates with restraint, conveying a breathtaking array of emotions, even as her character grapples with the overwhelming challenges of mental and physical decline. The film’s final scene delivers a poignant emotional impact, leaving a lasting impression on viewers. While Pablo Larrain’s unique approach to biographical storytelling can be hit-or-miss, Maria emerges as the most compelling of his trilogy, largely due to Jolie’s exceptional portrayal. Despite this, the film falls short of capturing the full scope of Jolie’s remarkable performance. Prior to viewing, I possessed limited knowledge of Maria Callas as an artist, and while I may still lack comprehensive insight, Maria offers a haunting glimpse into the final days of an iconic figure, hopefully inspiring a new audience to explore her extraordinary vocal legacy.

Maria is now streaming on Netflix.