20/14
Pablo Larrain’s Maria triumphs
Scenario
Maria Callas, the world’s greatest opera singer, spends the last days of her life in 1970s Paris as she confronts her identity and her life. Aristotle Onassis, Maria Callas’ longtime companion, later married former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Kennedy was the subject of Pablo Larrain’s earlier biopic, “Jackie,” starring Natalie Portman. Maria Callas: Book me a table at a café where the waiters know who I am. I’m in the mood for admiration.. Mentioned in Close-Up: Why Do We Need a Venice Film Festival? (2024). This film was everything I wanted and more, which is such a pleasure, given my great love for this unofficial series of films that Pablo made. Something about them strikes me as so innovative and different.
Classic, romantic, somber, beautiful
Of the three, Maria feels the most traditional—less subversive, not as experimental. Even then, it doesn’t fit into the typical tropes of any other biopic. Maria is grand and opulent, just like Spencer (and Jackie) was. But it’s even grander in scope than its predecessors, and yet it’s often colder for good reason. The atmosphere created for The Storm was absolutely stunning. The sets and costumes were gorgeous. The cinematography was equally amazing. And of course, the music. The orchestra in the theater soared.
They nailed it
It was often the music that brought out the most emotion in me and gave me the most chills. Angelina Jolie is, of course, the centerpiece of this film. I have to say, after Spencer, I really wanted Pablo to land Maria as the grand finale, just because the first two were so great. As soon as Angelina was announced in the lead role, I knew I was in good hands. This is instantly one of her best performances, and the best performance I’ve seen all year. The Academy has only recognized her for her more dramatic performances, but this one showed that she can command just as much attention with her subtlety. Her character is constantly intimidating, but she never has to scream for you to focus on every word she says. To achieve that intimidation and embody such an iconic diva, they needed someone who can command a room on her own. Jolie couldn’t have been a better choice.
That last sequence devastated me
This is one of the best comeback performances I’ve seen on screen. For me, Jolie’s performance never overshadowed the rest of this film, which we did so masterfully. The writing was incredible — so funny and smart and often poetic. As for the direction, Pablo Larraín is firing on all cylinders for this final entry in his trilogy. Everything about it was absolute perfection. I have no complaints, really. So many sequences were constructed to absolutely break you in the best possible way. There’s not enough praise for how this film was executed. At the end of the day, this trilogy of his is a testament to the actresses who star in them.
It makes these works come together in a somewhat official way
But with Maria, I realize that these performances are as much a vehicle for Larraín’s brilliance as they are a showcase for the actresses’ talents. The structure of this film had me in tears for almost the entire duration. I couldn’t be happier with the film as a whole and how it concludes this trilogy through the links that tie the films together. As a fan, I especially appreciated the two scenes that connect Maria back to Jackie. So far, this is the best film I’ve seen all year, and an instant favorite of the decade, and that’s such a blessing when… #39;s a project you’ve been waiting so long for. It definitely created a new love and appreciation for opera that I definitely didn’t have before. I then played opera all night, for the first time ever.
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