'Carol' is carefully appointed outside, chilly inside
Todd Haynes鈥檚 鈥淐arol,鈥� based on the 1952 novel by Patricia Highsmith聽(written under a pseudonym and titled 鈥淭he Price of Salt鈥�), is a sort of聽companion piece to his 鈥淔ar From Heaven,鈥� which was also about sexual聽repression in postwar America. Like that movie, I think 鈥淐arol鈥� is a聽repressed movie about repression, carefully appointed on the outside,聽chilly inside.
Cate Blanchett plays a well-heeled wife and mother who carries out a聽sort of secret life as a lesbian. Her Carol falls for Therese, played by聽Rooney Mara, a pretty shopgirl with whom she shares martini lunches and聽eventually a car trip westward, where their furtive affections finally聽become passionate before Carol鈥檚 husband tracks them down and lawyers聽up for sole custody of his and Carol's daughter.
This is not one of Highsmith鈥檚 creepy Ripleyesque narratives. On the聽contrary, it鈥檚 one of the few lesbian-themed texts from that era that ends聽on an upbeat, as does the movie. The problem is that there is very little聽chemistry between the actresses, and Haynes and screenwriter Phyllis聽Nagy are far too studied in their depiction of passion. The most聽impressive performance in the movie is given by Blanchett鈥檚聽elaborately coiffed, cast-iron hairdo. Grade:聽C+ (Rated R for a scene of sexuality/nudity and brief language.)
