Title: Being Maria
MPA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Jessica Palud
Starring: Anamaria Vartolomei, Matt Dillon, Giuseppe Maggio
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins

What It Is: Maria Schneider (Vartolomei) was a young second-generation actress looking for a break when an ambitious Italian director named Bernardo Bertolucci (Maggio) gave her the opportunity of a lifetime: a chance to work with an Academy Award–winning actor in the lead—none other than Marlon Brando (Dillon).

What seemed like a dream scenario soon turned into a nightmare, one that would derail her young and promising career. Will the damage ever be undone, or is she forever stuck with that initial perception?

What We Think: The true story behind the incident that changed Maria’s career is a disgusting piece of Hollywood reality. The film doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to portraying that moment, and Vartolomei gives a great performance—before, during, and especially after the incident. Sadly, she’s the biggest positive about the film. Everything else feels pretentious and a bit nonsensical.

I suppose some of that may come down to cultural differences or the film’s country of origin—but who knows. Matt Dillon, for me, feels grossly miscast. He’s not bad, but he just doesn’t seem right for the role. Something is off here. This should’ve been a film I personally loved, but it just didn’t land.

Our Grade: C+,I mean, you can validate the film with a watch—especially if you’re not already familiar with Bertolucci being a scumbag director. If you’ve never seen Last Tango in Paris, this film will probably ensure you keep it that way.

In all honesty, the pretension is hard to miss. The film’s nose is stuck completely in the air at this point. It doesn’t land any of the things it’s trying to do.

It’s a slight pass for me when it comes to re-watching, but a mild recommendation for first-time viewers—if only to see Anamaria Vartolomei give a fantastic performance.