Review of Carol (1990) by Rob S — 24 Jan 2016

Carol touches on the idea that love can be a difficult concept to grasp and may cause confusion to those who aren't certain about their sexuality. It's a great topic to look into; if only certain points of the movie were more subtle about it than having Mara's character try to beat around the bush asking her almost boyfriend if he's ever loved a boy.

We begin by seeing Therese and Carol talking in a lobby when Therese is spotted by an old friend who asks her if she is attending a party. Therese goes with the friend while reflecting on Carol, sending us into the past to the events right before Therese and Carol meet. When Therese spots Carol for the first time in the store where she works, it seems very similar to the notion of the male gaze often found in narrative cinema. There is a clear interest in the figure before Therese gets distracted, but they of course meet a few moments later. They aren't necessarily flirting, but they are two people with a connection, and perhaps that's what love is - as long as the connection is strong enough.

Kyle Chandler as Carol's husband Harge (his name is Harge?) is the closest thing to an antagonist in this film, and this role is somewhat strange. At first it seems that he feels Carol is evil because she is a lesbian who won't come out and say it, but you have to put into context that he's the father of her child, and by seeing other people (women or not) she is damaging the relationship she has with her husband, a relationship that would affect the child. What seems to be overly dramatic is the fact that he doesn't think she is fit to have joint custody simply due to these lies she is trying to cover up. Carol is a struggling lesbian in a time well before anybody like her would be accepted, and because of this she has to be condemned? This film is partially about the struggles of the LGBT community, but that allegation seems too dramatic considering the actual circumstances within the film.

This film is definitely well-acted by both Mara and Blanchett. Both leads have their own internal struggles with who they are and what love really means. Mara's playing her character as shy and fragile is top notch while Blanchett shines as being confident but overwhelmed and sometimes heart-broken by the results of her actions. If you don't mind sex, Carol is not really that heavy with "bad" content for an R-rated movie. This film is easy to watch and explores great issues, but at certain points comes across as cheesy or tries too hard to be dramatic.

3.0/4.0.