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The life of a gifted performer sometimes comes with fame and fortune and the adulation of audiences around the world—but it also comes with its own challenges. And director Pablo Larraín’s Maria takes a look at last days of a legend who fears she’s lost her gift.
Maria stars Angelina Jolie as legendary opera singer Maria Callas, who lives a quiet life in 1970s Paris with her maid and butler as her only real companions. It’s been more than four years since she last performed, and she worries that she no longer has the voice she once did, though she still has a passion for singing. In the week leading up to her death, the diva looks back on her life—on her difficult youth, on her most memorable performances, and on the love that she’s been unable to let go.
As she roams the streets of Paris, Maria opens up to an imaginary reporter about her life and her loves—especially her challenging relationship with Aristotle Onassis (Haluk Bilginer). It’s all beautifully filmed, using colors and costumes and striking settings to give it a rich period style.
Still, the decision to focus on the singer’s last days—and her tragic love story—instead of exploring more of her career does feel like a strange choice. And the result is a melancholy and rather hazy story. Maria has given up performing, and she’s lost the man she loves—which leaves her with nothing but her memories, her fame, and her long-suffering staff. She’s addicted to pills that cause strange visions and hallucinations—and even Maria herself isn’t always sure what’s real and what’s just a part of her drug-induced delusions. Most of the story is simply random snippets of memories from an unreliable source—and that can make the experience less than satisfying.
Really, the entire film revolves around its starring performance. Angelina Jolie is absolutely mesmerizing as the opera great, portraying her as lonely and troubled yet still positively regal—just as a legendary diva should be. It’s a performance that’s sure to earn the star plenty of award recognition—but it can’t make up for the film’s indistinct storytelling.
Maria is a stunningly beautiful film with a stand-out performance by a talented star. But if you’re hoping to learn more about the life of this legendary performer, this biopic may leave you feeling like you still know very little about her.
You can follow the diva’s last days when Maria makes its way to Netflix on December 11, 2024.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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