Maria is another biographical film in Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín's trilogy of inspiring muses, alongside Spencer, about Princess Diana, and Jackie, about former U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. In this chapter, the least inspired of the three, Larraín delves into a moment when Callas is away from the stage, uncertain if her voice is ready for an opera performance. Jolie fails to capture the emotional and physical fragility of the singer's moment, swinging between an overly forced performance and one that fades against her complicated story. Still, it's a well-directed drama by Larraín that takes the audience on a journey with its cinematography, settings, and impressive production design.