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Jump to the good stuff: About Carol | The Review | Final Verdict

About Carol:

Carol is a lesbian romance set in the 1950s and is based on the Patricia Highsmith novel, The Price of Salt. It was directed by Todd Haynes and stars Cate Blanchette as Carol Aird and Rooney Mara as Therese Belivet.

The Review:

Carol is a middle-aged woman who becomes enchanted by a shop girl, Therese, while looking for a Christmas present for her daughter. When Therese informs Carol that the doll she’s looking to buy is not in stock, she suggests a train set. Carol purchases the train set to be delivered then walks away, leaving her gloves behind.

Since Therese has Carol’s address, she returns the gloves through the mail. Carol receives the package, then calls the store to thank Therese and asks her to lunch. And so begins the subtle flirtations between Carol and Therese.

Carol is a film set in a time when gays and lesbians had to speak in coded language and nuance. And Therese, although unsure of her desires and deeply intrigued by Carol, is giving off enough signals to keep the courtship alive.

As Carol and Therese get to know each other, we get glimpses of the women’s lives. Carol and her husband, Harge (Kyle Chandler), are in the middle of a divorce. Harge is clinging to the relationship they once had while Carol remains aloof and distant. Desperate to pull Carol back into his life, Harge pleads with her to attend parties with him. We also see the love Carol has for their daughter, Rindy, and how Harge is willing to use her to get what he wants. And it is through this back and forth that we discover that the reason for the divorce is because Carol had an affair with another woman.

Meanwhile Therese’s boyfriend, Richard (Jake Lacey), wants her to marry him and gets annoyed when she won’t give him a definite answer. And since Therese never comes out and says no, he continues to badger her.

Although Carol and Therese are in different stages of their lives, they’re both fighting for their independence.

When Harge takes Rindy to Florida for Christmas, Carol is heartbroken, but refuses to go with them. Once Harge and their daughter are gone, Carol decides to take a road trip and invites Therese, who agrees to go. And as Carol and Therese travel and get closer, it becomes evident how far Harge will go to get Carol back.

Carol is a slow paced, quiet drama that draws you in with fine acting and the overall look. Haynes captures every nuance of 1950s New York, while the script by Phyllis Nagy gives Blanchette and Mara more than enough to chew on.

I have to give it to Mara for taking on a project that has her acting with a powerhouse like Blanchette. As Carol, Blanchette gives the subtle performance the role deserves, and the public has come to expect.

Mara plays Therese as a curious young lady intrigued by her lesbian desires, and warily willing to play Carol’s game. She’s also aware of what society expects from a woman her age and needs some coaxing to fight it.

Although the film is billed as a romance, it’s really about two women fighting against societal expectations to build the life they desire. And that life was not easy for a heterosexual woman to achieve in 1950s America, never mind a lesbian.

Final Verdict:

Carol is a superb film, full of beauty, thought, honesty, and some of the best acting you’re going to see. It’s a quiet movie, so it may not be for everybody. If you enjoy a thoughtful piece of cinema, give Carol a watch. You will not be disappointed.

You can watch Carol on Amazon Prime.