Maria: Pablo Larraín’s subjective biopic has a laser focus, looking into the last week of Maria Callas’ life, and not particularly worried about much of her earlier life; that results in a character study instead of a traditional biopic, making it all the more interesting for it. Angelina Jolie gives a beautiful performance as the troubled and pained diva, struggling with her mental health as she sees herself unable to be what she always was. Alba Rohrwacher and Pierfrancesco Favino are very touching as her maid and butler, both dedicated despite her unwillingness to respond to their worry. Cinematographer Ed Lachman’s work is excellent, filled with elegant camera movements and capturing the locations with rich colours; editor Sofía Subercaseaux navigates the many time jumps rather nicely and gives the film a very nice pace. The film makes liberal use of Callas’ recording, and listening to her divine voice is a pleasure in itself. A few sequences, steeped in fantasy, are achingly beautiful.