46/35
Pablo Larraín’s Maria Triumphs
Chronology
Maria Callas, the world’s greatest opera singer, spends her final days in 1970s Paris as she grapples with her identity and her life. Aristotle Onassis, Maria Callas’ longtime partner, later married former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Kennedy was the subject of Pablo Larraín’s previous biopic, 2016’s 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 to enjoy myself.. Up Close: Why Do We Need a Venice Film Festival? (2024). This film was everything I wanted and more, which is great when I love this unofficial Pablo film series so much. Something about them feels so innovative and different to me.
Classic, romantic, somber, beautiful
Of the three, Maria feels the most traditional – less disruptive, less experimental. Even then, it falls short of what any other biopic would be. Maria is grand and rich, just like Spencer (and Jackie). But it’s even grander than its predecessors, but often colder for good reason. The atmosphere created for The Tempest was absolutely stunning. The sets and costumes were stunning. The cinematography was equally stunning. And of course, the music. The orchestra soared in the theater.
Jolie couldn’t have been a better choice
More often than not, the music evoked the most emotion and gave the most chills. They did. Angelina Jolie is, of course, the main attraction of this film. I have to say, after Spencer, I really wanted Pablo to stick with the landing with Maria as the grand finale, simply because the first two were so amazing. As soon as Angelina was announced for the title 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. So far, she’s only been recognized by the Academy for her more dramatic performances, but this one showed that she gets just as much attention for her subtlety. Her character is constantly intimidating, but she never has to shout for you to focus on every word she says. To achieve that intimidation and embody such an iconic diva, they needed someone who could command any room on her own.
I really have no notes
This is one of the best comeback performances I’ve seen on screen. The final sequence blew me away. For me, Jolie’s performance never overshadowed the rest of this film, which we did so masterfully. The writing was incredible—so witty and intelligent, and often poetic. As for the direction, Pablo Larraín is firing on all cylinders for the final entry in his trilogy. Everything about it was absolute perfection. So many sequences were constructed to absolutely break you in the best possible way. There’s not enough praise for how he executed this film. At the end of the day, this trilogy of his is about the actresses who star in them.
It ties these works together somewhat formally
But with Maria, I understand that these performances are as much a vehicle for Larraín’s brilliance as they are a showcase for the actors’ talents. The structure of this film had me on the verge of tears for most of the duration of the shoot. I couldn’t be happier with the film as a whole and the way it wraps up this trilogy through the connections that tie the films together. As a fan, I especially appreciate the two scenes that tie Maria to Jackie. This is by far the best film I’ve seen all year and my instant favorite of the decade, and it’s such a blessing when it’s a project you’ve been waiting so long for. It definitely created a new love and appreciation for opera that I really didn’t have before. I spent the entire night playing Opera after that, for the first time.
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