Angelina Jolie is back. Honestly, it feels like forever since we saw her really dig into a role that wasn't a winged fairy or a Marvel superhero. Her latest movie, Maria, is basically the opposite of a blockbuster. It’s quiet. It’s haunting. It’s also making some people really, really uncomfortable.
The film, directed by Pablo Larraín, isn't your typical "from birth to death" biopic. It focuses on the final week of opera legend Maria Callas’s life in 1977 Paris. If you’ve seen Larraín’s other films like Jackie or Spencer, you know the vibe. He likes to trap famous women in beautiful houses and watch them unravel. In Maria, Jolie plays a woman whose voice—the very thing that defined her existence—is failing.
What the Latest Movie for Angelina Jolie Actually Gets Right
Most people going into this expect a standard musical drama. It’s not that. The movie is more like a fever dream. Jolie spent seven months training just to learn how to stand, breathe, and move like an opera singer. That’s a long time. She actually sang during filming, though the final cut mixes her voice with Callas’s real recordings.
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The Struggle for the Voice
There’s this one scene where she’s in her Paris apartment, basically hallucinating an interview with a journalist played by Kodi Smit-McPhee. She’s trying to find her "upper register." It’s painful to watch. You can see the physical strain in her neck and the desperation in her eyes. Critics have called this the finest performance of her career, and honestly, they might be right. She’s vulnerable in a way we haven't seen since Girl, Interrupted.
The Visuals are Insane
The cinematography by Ed Lachman is gorgeous. It shifts between grainy black-and-white flashbacks and lush, oversaturated colors in the present day. Everything looks like a painting. It’s the kind of movie you want to watch on the biggest screen possible just to see the texture of the silk dresses and the light hitting the Seine.
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Why Maria is Splitting the Audience
Not everyone is a fan. Some people find the pacing way too slow. It’s a 122-minute movie where a woman mostly walks around her apartment, talks to her butler (played by the great Pierfrancesco Favino), and takes a lot of pills.
- The "Larraín Style": If you didn't like Spencer, you’ll probably hate this. It’s very "artsy."
- The Lip-Syncing Debate: Even though Jolie trained for months, some opera purists think the lip-syncing feels off. They argue that nobody can truly replicate the "Divine" Callas.
- The Script: Written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders), the dialogue is sharp but sometimes feels a bit theatrical. Characters say things like, "As of this morning, what is real and what is not real is my business." People don't really talk like that, do they?
What’s Next for Angelina?
If you think she’s going back into hiding after this, think again. 2026 is looking busy. She has a French film called Couture coming out in February 2026, directed by Alice Winocour. It’s set in the world of high fashion—super fitting given her recent "Atelier Jolie" venture.
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Then there’s the big return to action. She’s filming a movie called Sunny, where she plays a female gangster trying to protect her kids. It’s being described as Training Day but with a mother’s intuition. Plus, there’s a spy thriller in the works with her Mr. & Mrs. Smith director Doug Liman. Basically, the "latest movie for Angelina Jolie" is just the start of a massive comeback era.
How to Watch Maria Right Now
The movie hit select theaters in late 2024 but its real home is on Netflix. It’s been sitting in the Top 10 for a reason. If you're going to watch it, do yourself a favor: turn off your phone. This isn't a "second screen" movie. You need to hear the nuances in the music and see the tiny flickers of emotion on Jolie’s face to get why it’s winning awards.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Listen to the soundtrack first: Get familiar with "Vissi d'arte" or "Casta Diva." It makes the emotional payoff in the film much stronger.
- Watch the Larraín Trilogy: To see the pattern, watch Jackie, then Spencer, then Maria. It’s a masterclass in how to deconstruct fame.
- Track the Awards: Jolie already snagged a Golden Globe nomination for this. Keep an eye on the Oscar race; she’s a heavy favorite for a Best Actress nod.
The film ends on a note that feels final, almost like a ghost finally finding peace. It’s a heavy watch, but for anyone who has ever felt like they’ve lost the thing that made them "them," it hits hard. Whether you love the "artsy" approach or find it a bit much, you can't deny that Jolie is back at the top of her game.