Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Being Maria

Play trailer Poster for Being Maria 1h 42m Biography Drama History Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
67% Tomatometer 9 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
Maria Schneider (Anamaria Vartolomei) is a promising, young French actress. When she gets the lead in a feature film directed by an acclaimed Italian filmmaker and starring one of America's most beloved actors, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Her collaborators, director Bernardo Bertolucci and star Marlon Brando (Matt Dillon) seem to be bringing out the best in Maria, sharing a warm rapport and mentorship with the 19-year old girl. Until one day, when the two men conspire to shoot a crucial sex scene as a harrowing assault without letting Maria in on the plan. The film goes on to be lauded as a fearless artistic breakthrough, but for Maria, it’s the beginning of a living hell. Based on the behind-the-scenes true story of the making of Last Tango in Paris, Jessica Palud's sensitive biopic centers Maria's story for the first time.

Cast & Crew

Critics Reviews

View All (9) Critics Reviews
Alissa Simon Variety Despite a clunky air of earnestness and some soap opera-like scenes, plus the overly familiar arc of a celebrity spiraling out of control, the film resonates because the central topic is so of the moment. May 28, 2024 Full Review Ed Potton Times (UK) Much of its success rests on how Palud recreates the butter scene, and she does so superbly, as do Anamaria Vartolomei and Matt Dillon, who play Schneider and Brando. Rated: 4/5 May 24, 2024 Full Review Jordan Mintzer The Hollywood Reporter Like the actress herself, whose life and career exploded with Last Tango’s success while unraveling at the same time, the movie loses its way after the scandal surrounding Bertolucci’s film fizzles out. May 24, 2024 Full Review Àngel Quintana Caimán Cuadernos de Cine Jessica Palud shoots without much conviction, with a flat staging, but tries to reject caricature. [Full review in Spanish] Jul 26, 2024 Full Review Max Borg Next Best Picture Still, while Anamaria Vartolomei brings her customary pained intensity to the role of Schneider, her male co-stars appear to be misdirected throughout Rated: 4/10 Jun 10, 2024 Full Review Pete Hammond Deadline Hollywood Daily [Fits] squarely in the Lifetime TV Movie of the Week formula... Fortunately, it is all lifted tremendously by its talented and intriguing star, Vartolomei, who is utterly convincing in the role of Maria without turning it into a beat-for-beat impression. May 22, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Movie Info

Synopsis Maria Schneider (Anamaria Vartolomei) is a promising, young French actress. When she gets the lead in a feature film directed by an acclaimed Italian filmmaker and starring one of America's most beloved actors, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Her collaborators, director Bernardo Bertolucci and star Marlon Brando (Matt Dillon) seem to be bringing out the best in Maria, sharing a warm rapport and mentorship with the 19-year old girl. Until one day, when the two men conspire to shoot a crucial sex scene as a harrowing assault without letting Maria in on the plan. The film goes on to be lauded as a fearless artistic breakthrough, but for Maria, it’s the beginning of a living hell. Based on the behind-the-scenes true story of the making of Last Tango in Paris, Jessica Palud's sensitive biopic centers Maria's story for the first time.
Director
Jessica Palud
Producer
Marielle Duigou
Screenwriter
Jessica Palud, Laurette Polmanss, Vanessa Schneider
Distributor
Kino Lorber
Production Co
Les Films de Mina
Genre
Biography, Drama, History
Original Language
French
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 21, 2025, Limited
Runtime
1h 42m