Fast reviews for busy people! Watch as I review three movies in less time than it takes to make the bed! Have a look as I race against the clock to tell you about the antiheroes of “Thunderbolts*,” the crime caper “Another Simple Favor” and the bio pic “Being Maria.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
SYNOPSIS: “Being Maria,” a new French language biographical film now on VOD, is the story of Maria Schneider, the young actress who found fame and trauma after starring in the controversial “Last Tango in Paris” opposite Marlon Brando.
CAST: Anamaria Vartolomei, Céleste Brunnquell, Giuseppe Maggio, Yvan Attal, Marie Gillain, Jonathan Couzinié and Matt Dillon. Directed by Jessica Palud.
REVIEW: A story of exploitation, “Being Maria” is marred by a straightforward approach to a very difficult topic.
The instigating incident happens on the set of “Last Tango in Paris,” director Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1972 erotic drama about an anonymous sexual relationship between an American man who has an affair with a much younger French woman.
During the filming of one of the film’s scenes Schneider is subjected to an unscripted, humiliating sexual act. Despite Brando’s “don’t worry, it’s just a movie” admonition, she is left emotionally unsettled.
The film becomes an international hit, drawing raves for Brando and Bertolucci. Schneider, however, is subjected to ridicule and left with a festering sense of resentment.
Based on Vanessa Schneider’s memoir “My Cousin Maria Schneider,” “Being Maria” goes on to detail the actress’s struggles with addiction, depression and suicide ideation, all resulting from the scandal generated by her on-set exploitation.
At the film’s center is Anamaria Vartolomei’s sensitive portrayal of Schneider (who passed away in 2011). As Schneider personal life falls into disarray Vartolomei allows the character an interesting sense of agency. Her take on Schneider allows the character to have hope, even when she is at her most hopeless.
It’s a portrait of a naïve nineteen-year-old, victimized by people who had power over her on set, director Bertolucci (Giuseppe Maggio) and Brando, (played convincingly by Matt Dillon) who is presented as a creative mentor.
The emotional injury caused by Brando and Bertolucci reveals itself in bits and pieces, worsening over time. Vartolomei, seen recently opposite Robert Pattinson in “Mickey 17,” always feels emotionally authentic, even when the film itself dips into a melodramatic second half.
“Being Maria” is raw, with a terrific central performance, but stops short of fully exploring the power imbalance.
