ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
For almost a decade, Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín has been focusing films on important women of the 20th century, with subjects including former U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
His most recent subject is one for the musical world with the late opera diva Maria Callas with his film “Maria,” which focuses on Callas’ last week of life while living in Paris.
For those who are unaware, Callas was one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century, and was known for her wide-ranging voice and dramatic interpretations. Her repertoire included works from composers such as Donizetti, Bellini, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, and Wagner. Her talents led to her receiving the nickname “La Divina,” and her personal life was not entirely unlike many of the operas she performed in, having to deal with an abusive mother growing up and a couple lost loves.
To start off, Larraín clearly had a lot of respect for his subject and wanted to do Callas justice. He is able to paint such a vivid picture of the pressures Callas faced throughout her life and career: the relentless demands from fans, the pursuit of perfection, and her vulnerability, though he goes for a bit more of a fantasy vibe as opposed to a straight recap of Callas’ life, which is good and bad at some points. I also found it interesting how Larraín decided to focus on basically the end of Callas’ life instead of doing a more full biopic that starts when she’s young and then moves through her life and career, because that ended up being a bit of a two-edged sword, at least to me. On one hand, given how profound a figure Callas was in the opera world, it would have taken more than just one film to truly capture Callas’ life, it made sense to pick one area of focus, but on the other hand, a fuller biopic would have given some more insight into why Callas was the way she was. There are a few moments of Callas’ childhood shown, but they almost feel tacked on as an afterthought, and it’s a bit odd and jarring to watch. Overall, however, I feel like Larraín definitely wanted to capture Callas as respectfully as possible, and he ended up doing a good job, but there could have been a bit more depth.
Angelina Jolie is also outstanding in the leading role, and it’s a performance that has a lot of texture. Jolie gives viewers a good look into Callas’ state of mind during that final week, and she’s able to capture a lot of Callas’ sadness so, so well at multiple moments. One moment in particular comes near the end when Maria’s doctor tells her her singing voice is gone with no chance of return – she acts icy and pretends she doesn’t care, but her eyes betray her and there was a lot of sadness and heartbreak in that scene. Another particular moment comes a little earlier in the film when a group of paparazzi try to hound her outside a theatre about why she hasn’t performed in so long, and again, she tries to act tough and imperious, but that sorrow and desire to be applauded again is there. Jolie is also able to bring just a touch of feminist sentiment to her character, and one moment in particular where this happens comes near the end of the film when she’s asked, again, why she didn’t marry Aristotle Onassis and have a family with him and she responds “He wanted someone he could control ... and my body declined to make another self” It’s a more subtle approach, but it certainly didn’t escape my notice. There are a few other similar moments in the movie when Maria makes it clear SHE is in control, and Jolie pulls them off very well. And, as odd as it might sound, I appreciated how they made Maria look aged and somewhat wearied, because most biopics want people to think everyone just looks perfect all the time, and that’s not the case. Overall, Jolie turns in a very solid performance and it wouldn’t surprise me if some award nominations are on the horizon.
The music used throughout the movie is also done very, very well, and it’s used to not only help tell Maria’s story of her various opera performances, but also as foreshadowing, especially “Ave Maria,” which is used a few different times. It’s also Callas’ actual recordings used throughout most of the movie, so that is a benefit to anyone who’s unfamiliar with Callas’ work. The only minor complaint I have with this aspect of the movie is I felt like the lip-synching could have been better, because there were a few moments where it’s VERY obvious that’s what is going on. Overall, however, the opera performances shown throughout the movie are very well done and absolutely gorgeous.
I also can’t say enough about the cinematography of the movie, which is absolutely stunning, though that shouldn’t come as any surprise given how the majority of the movie takes place in Paris. Larraín definitely knows how to work a camera and was able to perfectly capture the city’s beauty.
Overall, I found “Maria” to be a solid movie overall, and I would give it an overall “B” grade. Angelina Jolie turns in a wonderful performance in the lead role and is able to capture both the sadness and madness of Maria’s final days. The movie felt a bit disjointed at some points when going back and forth between the past and present, and the writing and screenplay could have used some work to help that not be quite an issue. If you’re interested in opera and/or looking for a good biopic, “Maria” is a good one to cue up on Netflix.
