When the song in your heart is extinguished, how can you truly live?
Directed by Pablo Larrain, Maria begins with the death of operatic icon, Maria Calles (Angelina Jolie). However, after we find her body on the floor of her apartment, Larrain immediately rewinds time to experience Calles’ final week. Having retreated to Paris after a glamorous—but tumultuous—life in the public eye, Calles attempts to reconcile her identity with the fame that burdens her soul.
Once again, Larrain has crafted a compelling inquest into the life of a strong woman who lives in the celebrity spotlight. Following his work in Spencer and Jackie, Maria picks up the mantle of beautiful character studies set against the backdrop of stunning cinematography. In every scene, Larrain ensures that we experience Calles’ claustrophobia. Although she has become a global entity, the film’s use of lines makes each of these massive spaces feel like prison. In essence, she has become trapped by her fame. And it feels as though time is running out on her life.
As such, Larrain has chosen a moment in Calles’ life where she is caught between who she was and who she is. Here, Calles as a woman who is simply unable to physically reclaim her former glory. She is challenged to put in the work to become what she once was yet her best efforts leave her wanting. As a result, Jolie brings a frailty to her performance that is truly remarkable. Stepping into the role of Calles, Jolie feels like a woman who has exhausted all of her strength. In many ways, she is merely a ghost of herself. Or, at least, of who others believe her to be..
The strength of Jolie’s performance is augmented by her willingness to sing Calles’ music herself. Though her singing voice is surprisingly beautiful, it simply cannot compare to Calles. But that’s also precisely the point. Jolie’s inability to meet Calles’ magical voice simply emphasizes her performance as a woman who cannot become what she once was. We listen to Calles perform via record player and know that even the best of Jolie doesn’t measure up. In these moments, Jolie offers a display of vulnerability as a performer that simply marvels.
Even so, Maria still feels like there is something… missing.
And, admittedly, this is a shame as Maria seems to have something to say. Larrain portrays Calles as a woman burdened by her own fame. To her, nothing less than what she ‘was’ will do, if she were ever to perform again. After all, everyone with whom she comes in contact with believes Maria Calles the performer to be the totality of her being. Left emotionally adrift, a piece of her soul has been stolen by the adoring public. Where does Maria Calles, the performer end, and Maria Calles, the woman, begin? Her fame has somehow left her less than human and yearns for control over her own life. In this way, her inability to perform becomes symptomatic of a deeper problem.
She has lost the spark of life within her soul.
But, as Calles searches for answers, the film also feels as though its searching for more. Although Larrain’s films are known for their slow pacing, Knight’s script seems too content to leave us in quiet solitude to explore Calles with greater depth. Given the strength of Jolie’s performance, there’s ample opportunity to delve into Calles’ heart and mind. Nevertheless, the screenplay holds back those opportunities in ways that Jackie and, to a lesser extent, Spencer were able to do more successfully.
As a result, there is a lot to like about Larrain’s latest inquest into the feminine psyche. Backed by incredible work by Jolie, Maria is a testament to the ways that celebrity status can demand more from someone than their body of work. However, there still seems to be something missing from the film that keeps it from becoming the highest of art.
Maria is available in theatres on Wednesday, November 27th, 2024.
