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‘Maria’ Didn’t Work for Me
Some really great elements that fail to make an impact.
Maria takes us into the final days of the opera singer Maria Callas (Angelina Jolie).
I have mixed feelings about this film, most of them stemming from the fact that I don’t understand the biopic phenomenon. I know that’s a weird thing to gripe about, but I just don’t get why these types of films are so popular. To me, when you make a biopic, you open up a big can of worms for yourself. So why do filmmakers and studios continue to do this?
Most of the time, biopics are inspirational stories or are about beloved figures who contributed meaningfully to society. Sometimes, these are made about infamous figures who spark intrigue in audiences. Some of these films are about major events that happened in history that are larger-than-life and perfectly suited to the big screen. If a biopic is about a lesser-known figure, it might be trying to gain some sort of understanding of who the person is or was, diving deeply into their character.
I’m not sure that Maria Callas fits neatly into the biopic category. Outside of the opera world, how many people have heard of Maria Callas? She accomplished a lot in her life, but Maria doesn’t seem interested in really exploring any of that. Though we do learn some about her history, her flaws, and her…
