Review of Carol (1970) by Kapten V — 04 Dec 2016

1950's postcard USA. The wife is gay and finds love with pretty young girl. Husband doesn't approve and means to take the custody of their daughter. Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.

"Carol" is a major critic darling, even more so than 2002's "Far from Heaven", director Todd Haynes's similar and also highly acclaimed drama. This time, he didn't write this, only directing a story based on seminal Patricia Highsmith novel.

I understand why it's an important message movie and quality work in every aspect. I just didn't click with it personally. Perhaps I do not have the taste for this kind of beautifully stylish but emotionally detached approach. It didn't work for me in "Far from Heaven" as well.

The performances are good but the power of the drama lies mostly in direction mixing American imagery with decidedly un-Hollywood approach which favors restrained characters and subtle details over going big and provokingly dramatic.

Despite being much loved by critics, the movie didn't win any of the 8 BAFTAs, 6 Academy Awards or 5 Golden Globes it was nominated for.

This would be kind of weird if one didn't notice that on some level the movie is more about majestic mosaic of director's vision of 1950's USA than two main characters who fill the screen almost constantly. They are like vivid puppets in grand-scale orchestration which may explain why actresses are not scoring big on this project. This movie is not as much about flexing that good old acting muscle than one would expect.

The real conundrum for me here is the rising star Rooney Mara who got her second Academy Award and Globe nominations for this role. (The first pair came from 2011's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".).

I don't understand her appeal. She's OK but why do people think so highly of her acting? I've seen her in 9 movies by now, including two mentioned just above, and I just don't get it. She's like a less lively Zooey Deschanel.

Don't mean to be hating, just wondering aloud. Always have liked her sister Kate Mara though!