The word diva comes from opera, and, in the world of opera, Maria Callas owned it. Having made films on Jacqueline Kennedy (“Jackie”) and Princess Diana (“Spencer”) Pablo Larrain tunes his ears to the myth of Callas, played here by Angelina Jolie. Larrain uses the familiar narrative structure of the flashback and adds some operatic grace notes to deliver a performance-led film that is never less than expected.

Fionnuala Halligan, Screen International