⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (out of 5 stars)
Director Pablo Larraín’s trilogy of prominent 20th-century women continues with the life of operatic phenomenon and controversy-laden Maria Callas (Angelina Jolie). In the same beautifully tragic manner as Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021), he provides an imagined existence of these women through the vision of screenwriter Steven Knight. Their partnership weaves together the talented artist's psychological hallucinations with flashbacks of her fascinating past in this historical account of the final days of her life.
For those outside the world of opera and musical history, Maria Callas was considered one of the greatest operatic sopranos ever. Yet, like so many artists of significance, she managed to court controversy and rumours that made her the darling of the media and divisive to the public. She had sung on most continents in her travels and was beloved by audiences worldwide. One of her greatest admirers and eventual lovers was the influential and wealthy Aristotle Onassis (Haluk Bilginer), who played a role in her life until his death, even while married to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Still, this film depicts the final week of her life as a woman who, despite hope to return to the stage once more, could no longer sing due to the damage to her throat. As she is cared for by her loyal butler Ferruccio (Pierfrancesco Favino) and housemaid Bruna (Alba Rohrwacher), the diva decides to do an interview with a young filmmaker (Kodi Smit-McPhee) to document her life and eventual return to opera. Yet, is her interviewer merely a figment of her imagination brought on by her medications or not?
The combination of Pablo Larraín’s masterful cinematic eye and Angelina Jolie’s ability to portray stoic, powerful women make for a visually stunning, while tragically stunning, exploration of the singer’s life. Like his previous projects, Maria Callas’ tale is played against a backdrop of historical memories pieced together with hallucinations, making it a challenge to know what was real and what was mere fantasy. Similar to the grand illusions of the operatic stage, Larraín’s portrait of this legendary figure leaves the audience with less of an understanding of her real past and is left with dreams of what may have been or how one would hope they would be. The devastatingly exquisite settings are complicated by Jolie’s charismatic presence that helps to captivate during the plodding strolls through the final tragic moments of the operatic diva’s life.
Maria proves that Pablo Larraín has a masterful visual eye that hopes to show the beauty within the dark humanity of Maria Callas's storied existence. Angelina Jolie puts in one of her best performances of her career, despite having to lip-sync through the majority of the operatic scenes of the film. This historical journey through the infamous diva's world is a painstakingly methodic walk alongside this legend’s potential thoughts in her final days that will divide audiences just like this woman did throughout her career and life.
REEL DIALOGUE: Can joy really come out of tragedy?
Maria shows the tragic tale behind the voice that still captivates audiences around the world. The experience of Maria Callas and the mental turmoil she went through during her final days bring to light that, many times, great joy can come out of the darkness.
This could be said of the heart of the good news of the story: the life and death of Jesus. Callas lives on in recordings that are still celebrated by opera fans, but her legendary voice cannot begin to compare to the world's awareness of the central figure in the Bible. Jesus' story is one of tragic beginnings and a horrific end.
Still, throughout his short time on earth, this tale of potential woe does offer hope to the world. His death symbolises everlasting joy for many, and his life continues to provide an overwhelming expectation of what is to be. If you see your life as having little hope or joy, it may be a good time to check out the story of Jesus. Unlike the drug-influenced tragedy of Callus’ final moments, Jesus offers people hope in a forever that goes beyond their wildest dreams.
