
Maria Callas was one of the world’s most influential opera singers and had a turbulent and sensational personal life, yet I knew nothing about her before watching Maria. Starring Angelina Jolie and set in 1970s Paris at the end of her life, Maria offers an interesting insight into the icon and her demons, and Jolie plays the role of the American-born Greek soprano well.
Starting seven days before her death, the film frequently uses flashbacks to show us the most important moments of Maria’s life and the love and ire she attracted as a result. Her chaotic and traumatic early years provide the context for her present mental health struggles, and her love for Aristotle Onassis—the man she left her husband for—haunts her even at the end of her life, years after his own death and marriage to Jackie Kennedy. Along with Aristotle, Maria’s mother and sister are frequent apparitions, troubling the fragile Maria.

Despite her demons and sensational love life, however, the movie also illustrates how well-known and talented she was, with President JFK asking her to perform at the White House. Maria is elegant, almost Audrey Hepburn-esque, with a poise captured well by Jolie, but she’s also quick-witted and intelligent, managing to take Kennedy down a notch. And while the exchange between the two didn’t take place in real life, it’s true that Maria performed at JFK’s birthday party and would have a long-lasting and complicated relationship with the Kennedy family.
Beautifully shot and sensitively acted, Maria is a slow-moving and lingering story with frequent black-and-white flashback interludes and musical numbers. It’s a touching and tragic tribute to the opera singer and well worth the watch. Directed by Pablo Larraín, it completes his trilogy of important 20th-century women, with the first two installments being Jackie and Spencer. While it can be confusing in parts, and I was eager for more details about Maria’s life, it’s still a solid film and a well-deserved nod to a woman whose legacy lives on.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2
Thank you to NRC Agency, Kismet Movies and Luna Palace Cinemas for having me.
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