Grade: C
In 2002, director Todd Haynes brought us a wonderful movie called Far From Heaven. With gorgeous cinematography and costumes, a compelling plot, and top-notch acting, it took us into the 1950s and really felt like it could have been made then. You may have seen it – Julianne Moore played a housewife/mother whose husband (Dennis Quaid) turned out to be gay.
Haynes has a new movie out called Carol, which could almost be Far From Heaven shown from the point-of-view of the homosexual spouse, this time played by Cate Blanchett. She is Carol, a soon-to-be-divorced mother who catches the eye of a young department store clerk (Rooney Mara). The feeling is mutual, the relationship is controversial, and the rest is history. Carol (the film) is a yawner and a downer. Everything is incredibly low-key, quiet, plodding, and almost humorously melodramatic. All the characters seem to be so joyless in their body language and line delivery, even in scenes where they’re supposed to be happy and having a good time. It made me yearn to watch The Big Short again. I didn’t understand most of what was happening in that plot, but it at least had moments of high energy, high stakes, passion, vibrancy, and fervor. Carol is far from heaven and devoid of mirth.
Grade: C
Film Reviews by Mark 
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