Member review

Todd Haynes’ ‘Carol’ stars Rooney Mara as Therese Belivet, a department store worker who gains a forbidden relationship with Cate Blanchett’s Carol Aird. The film sees the couple’s trials and tribulations as they discover who they are and what love truly is.

Love is an incredibly complicated subject. It takes many forms, not all of which are of interest to ‘Carol’. That is the film’s only significant flaw. I only wish it were longer, given more time to explore what it is to love someone. This does not stop the film from being a beautiful, moving experience. Gone are the tropes of romance films, ‘Carol’ realistically and eloquently expresses the passion and complexity of the relationships presented. The whole film is very gentle with little threat ever being present. The film only really flicks between two modes: joy and sadness. This is not a negative. Haynes keeps the film simple, allowing for clear expression. The cinematography and score are both elegant, never really getting in the way of the story but is often astounding. I would not be able to hum any of the music now, but I always enjoyed it in the moment and there are a few shots I can remember quite distinctly.

Without Mara and Blanchett, this film would fall apart. These two leads are brilliant together. Their chemistry is beautiful and there was not a moment where I thought these two were not meant for each other. Despite their differences, the two characters feel very much in synchronicity. On her own, Blanchett did not impress me all that much. She was effective but I felt a little too aloof. She can be forgiven for her connection to Mara who acts as a distinct counter. Therese has this eternal quirky sense to her, as if she is always alert. The character’s naivety and youth is effectively portrayed through the performance and I found the character very realistic. I felt as if she could be a real person, which really allowed me to connect to her and her struggle.

This film is gorgeous. In its performances, score and direction the film blossoms. I quite enjoyed ‘Carol’ and if you feel like you want something to relax to, give it a watch. More importantly, if you want to see something truly beautiful, then this film is just for you.