Review of Carol (2015) by Andrew K — 03 Feb 2016

Carol urges us to release ourselves to a world that stands in opposition to rationality, the unforgiving world of love and infatuation. What happens when we choose the path of being guided by universal push-and-pull forces? The emotional payoff of such a journey was both painful and rich.

Set in the 1950's, Carol tells the story of a love affair between two women of differing age and social standing. The younger one, played by Rooney Mara, is swept off her feet by the alluring but married older one, played by Cate Blanchett.

The performances are muted but endlessly expressive. Rooney Mara gives subtle insight into the transformation of her character in every scene. She's new to the world of her partner but is taking it all in and feeling the sting of it. While this is a developing character, Cate Banchett's Carol is a veteran to a world that is making every effort to take your love away from you. She plays a highly mannered character with unexpected vitality and fear. It's the kind of performance where I couldn't imagine anyone else playing the character. Every gesture and look speaks volumes. Sarah Paulson and Kyle Chandler are equally worthy of high praise for the depth they add to their supporting roles.

Much of the film is hinged on the actors' abilities to deliver minimal dialogue that serves to mask the feeling beneath the words. Every line from screenwriter Phyllis Nagy has the potential to break your heart.

The film had me under its spell for a good while each time I left the theater. It's a reflection of desire and how it endlessly betrays us. It's a universal story of the resilient chase for that which makes us feel most alive and calls to us, even when we don't decide what that is and even if it doesn't make sense. It's about the impermanence of passion and its consequential ebbs and flows. These among other things. To the film's credit, I still can't decide even after a second viewing whether it's a tragedy or not. It's perhaps my favorite film of the year,.