Carol

Carol

Starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler

Directed by Todd Hayes

The Story:
In 1950s New York, young Therese (Rooney Mara) works at a department store, but longs to do work with photography.  She's in a relationship with Richard (Jake Lacy), but she shows little interest in the relationship.

Then, one day at work, she meets Carol (Cate Blanchett), an older, more sophisticated, more wealthy married woman with a young daughter.  The two hit it off and Carol finds the nerve to finally leave her marriage of convenience to Harge (Kyle Chandler).  However, Harge is wary of Carol's moral choices, especially when it comes to Abby (Sarah Paulson), a lifelong friend of Carol's whom he thinks is more than just a friend, and he sets out to gain full custody of their daughter by enacting a morality clause in their divorce. 

Distraught, Carol decides to travel west, and brings Therese with her.  As they go from seedy hotels to the lap of luxury, the two officially begin their relationship.  But as most relationships go, there is a cost that threatens to divide them forever.

The Synopsis:
"Carol" is a movie based on the book "The Price of Salt" by Patricia Highsmith, which she wrote in 1952 after seeing a stunning woman while she was working at a department store.  Since it was the 50s, and homosexuality was seen as detestable and uncouth, she wrote it under a pseudonym and was able to get it published.

She always thought the novel could never be made into a film, and in 1996, her friend Phyllis Nagy wrote the first draft to a script, and it sat in cinema limbo until Todd Hayes - known for directing "Far From Heaven" and "I'm Not There" - picked up the script and decided to turn it into a movie.

"Carol" is one of the most artistically beautiful pieces of cinema this year, thanks to the undying work of production designer Judy Becker, art director Jesse Rosenthal and set decorator Heather Loeffler, who effortlessly turned back the hands of time and delivered a 1950s period piece set to pinpoint detail.  From the costumes to the settings and color palette, "Carol" transports the viewers to a time where acceptance of homosexuality was virtually nonexistent, where those who longed for those desires were confined to the shadows, and where forbidden love came at a price.

To effectively portray this tale, Hayes had to recruit two actresses who had the chops to pull it off, and he found that in the dynamic duo of Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.  Without them, the film wouldn't have earned all the accolades they've amassed, and rightfully so. 

As the privileged socialite who harbors illicit feelings, Blanchett brings Carol to cinematic life in a way that not even Highsmith envisioned, since the book was almost entirely told from Therese's point of view, illuminating Carol as a sort of ghost or angel to her.  Hayes attempts to fill in the gaps by telling Carol's own story of living in a loveless marriage and struggling to regain custody of her daughter, and Blanchett tackles it head on as only she does - with elegance, grace, and an unshattering determination. 

When it came to Therese, who I feel is the actual lead in the movie, Hayes looked to "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" star Rooney Mara, who has already established herself as a serious actress with Oscar-nominated performances.  Therese is the innocent person in this relationship.  Someone who's young, unsure of what she wants, and often agrees to everything without reservations.  As the relationship grows, she learns how to develop herself into an independent woman, more sure of herself and what she's looking for in life.

In essence, "Carol" is a two-character play.  There's very little interaction with anyone else in the film, and the entity of the film centers on its two leads.  As you watch the film you get lost in their forbidden love story, and left amazed about how far we've come as a society, where homosexuality isn't seen as a debilitating disease that forces the people involved to stay hidden but now celebrated as another form of love.  Thankfully, "Carol" doesn't delve into the political aspects, but rather serves as a bare-bones love story.

The Summary:
Filled with lavish set pieces and costume designs and headlining two Oscar-worthy performances, "Carol" serves as one of those few films that hit the mark in every aspect.

The Score: A+