Angelina Jolie stuns as renowned opera singer Maria Callas.
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Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria depicts the last days in the life of Maria Callas, the world's greatest opera singer, in Paris 1977. It is the third film in Larraín's trilogy of important 20th-century women, following Jackie (2016) in which Natalie Portman portrays Jackie Kennedy, and Spencer (2021) in which Kristen Steward plays Princess Diana.
Played masterfully by Angelina Jolie, Maria is depicted as an aged but still haughtily beautiful Prima Donna who is reflecting on her past and dealing with the repercussions of her personal and professional choices. The film opens with the end as we see Maria’s dead body being removed from her exquisitely designed apartment. It then moves back one week to the days leading up to her death where she grapples with her addiction to Quaaludes (amongst other drugs) and her desire to return to the stage. At this stage of her life, Maria spends her time under the watchful eye of her butler, Ferruccio (Pierfrancesco Favino) and loyal housekeeper, Bruna (Alba Rohrwacher). It is clear that both butler and housekeeper are devoted to her, despite her refusal to listen to their pleas for her to see the doctor and daily insistence that they move her grand piano from room to room.
Interspersed with the imagined last week of her life where we see Maria go to an opera house to see if her ailing voice might return to its peak while she also has an in-depth interview scheduled, the film explores Maria’s deep love affair with Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis (Haluk Bilginer). This toxic relationship clearly played a significant role in shaping her career and emotional state. Her intense emotional involvement with him interferes with her career, as she struggles to maintain her image as the world-renowned opera diva while facing the realities of her private life. As Maria grapples with the demands of her career and her longing for Onassis' affection, the film highlights the personal cost of such a high-profile relationship, showing the vulnerability behind her powerful stage presence. That being the case, it is still somewhat disheartening that despite Maria being an iconic woman, the film still revolves around a comparatively unremarkable man rather than her achievements in the opera world despite her difficult beginnings.
As the film unfolds, it is clear that the crew members – which includes an interviewer who shares the same name as the pill she takes, Mandrax (Kodi Smit-McPhee) – are hallucinations. Maria appears to be aware of this but continues chatting to her "visions" as she strolls around Paris. This imagined interview is a useful device to show the audience snippets of Maria’s past such as her mother forcing her and her sister to sing for Nazi soldiers in Greece during World War 2 as well as her replacing another opera singer in Venice at the last minute and stealing the show.
The film somewhat delves into Callas’ emotional isolation. Despite being adored by millions, she feels deeply alone and disconnected from those around her. The film illustrates her internal conflict between her identity as an opera star and her desire for a life with Onassis. As Callas continues to reflect on her past, she is faced with the realization that she has sacrificed too much for her art and the approval of others. The film paints a portrait of a woman trapped by her own fame and the expectations placed on her by both herself and the public.
While Maria attempts to explore the woman behind the legend, it remains somewhat distant from its actual subject as Maria is portrayed as an unattainable icon rather than a fully realized human being. She is depicted as a larger-than-life figure, balancing the immense pressures of fame with a profound sense of personal sacrifice and longing. That being the case, Maria is an endless treasure trove of biting one liners which should be quoted endlessly and can be attributed to the sharp wit of screenwriter Steven Knight. We definitely understand where Maria is coming from when she simply replies to Mandrax’s statement that he has fallen in love with her with, “That happens a lot.”
Much is to be admired about the costume design by Massimo Cantini Parrini which is a veritable feast for the eyes. We see Maria in various seasons of her life, but always extremely sophisticated and chic. During her most memorable performance, Maria is dressed in varying extravagant costumes which then segue to the dark and sleek outfits she wears while stalking around Paris and her knitted dressing gown when she is at mourning the loss of her voice in her apartment. The film deserves several re-watches for the costumes alone.
The wonderful settings also successfully evokes the high society and opulence that surrounded Maria during her career. The set design emphasizes the luxurious interiors of the pinnacle of her fame, such as elegant opera houses, grand ballrooms, and opulent private spaces such as Aristotle’s private yacht, underscoring Callas’ status as a world-renowned and in-demand diva. These lavish settings contrast with the more intimate, often somberenvironments, such as her private apartment or moments of solitude where she is walking alone and visually marooned from the crowds, where the personal struggles of Callas are revealed which services to convey a sense of isolation and vulnerability.
Maria is a film for lovers of spiky, unapologetic women who have become icons and is a satisfying conclusion to Larraín’s trilogy.
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