Therese is a shop girl at a department store
and when Carol comes in to buy a Christmas present in the Toy Department, they
seem to have an instant awareness and attraction to one another. Immediately, Therese shows that she’s
not a typical 50’s girl when she says she didn’t care much for dolls as a
child; she loved trains. And Carol
is then easily convinced to buy her daughter a train when she finds that the
doll she was looking for is not in stock.
This could have been the end of it, except
Carol (unconsciously?) leaves her gloves on the counter and when Therese finds
them and mails them to her along with the train set, Carol must thank her by offering to take her to lunch.
The difference in class between the two women
is noteworthy; Carol wears an expensive fur and goes to high-end
restaurants. When she orders a
martini and quiche for lunch, Therese says she’ll have the same, although in
her words, “I barely even know what to order for lunch.” This difference in background becomes a
significant issue throughout the drama that will take place. The wealthier, older, more experienced
Carol could be seen as “toying” with Therese for her own amusement; although
this is not born out in the end when Carol shows moral/ethical strengths that
are not obvious initially.
The highly respected and admired Blanchett
performs at her usual level of excellence with fine nuances and
subtleties. But Mara is equally
good here in playing a younger woman unsure of herself and still in the process
of finding out who she is and what she wants in life. Director Haynes clearly understands women, and with screenwriter Phyllis Nagy has adapted Patricia Highsmith's novel for the screen
with knowing grace, utilizing—along with the actors—the talents of musician
Carter Burwell and cinematographer Edward Lachman. Lachman uses light and screen shots to interesting effect,
as does Burwell with music anticipating scenes and capturing mood. The movie takes place at Christmastime,
and the carol “Silver Bells” is perfectly apt as the two women embark on a
hopeful journey together.
Carol proceeds
slowly and gently as the women’s relationship develops, although there are some
jolting surprises that make the viewer sit up straight. The ending is remarkable when Carol
pleads her case in a custody battle with her husband at a meeting in the
presence of lawyers, imploring them to keep the interests of their child
foremost and arguing reasonably about hers and Harge’s joint
responsibilities. She warns that “a
court battle could get ugly, and we’re not ugly people.”
Carol reminds
women that even though we have a ways to go, contemporary women can be grateful
for the progress that has brought us this far.
Grade: A- By
Donna R. Copeland
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