December 13: Carol

Carol

In Todd Haynes’ seductive period drama Carol, modest Manhattan department store clerk Therese (Rooney Mara) catches the eye of well-to-do housewife Carol (Cate Blanchett). What begins as a flirty friendship blossoms into a love for the ages, but in 1950’s American, this connection that dare not speak its name upends their lives, costing them nearly everything. Based on the Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt, this lush and lustful testament to desire manifests as a queer romance that is both traditional and radically innovative. Screenwriter Phyllis Nagy, cinematographer Ed Lachman, costume designer Sandy Powell, composer Carter Burwell, and the two lead actresses were all nominated for Academy Awards.

“The experience of watching Carol is like being pulled into a different place, real and not real, like the best movies, like being in love.” – Jeff Baker, The Oregonian

“Carol is one of the greatest American screen romances of any era, period – and perhaps that serves as the ultimate vindication of Haynes’ outspoken commitment to queer cinema.” – Andrew O’Hehir, Salon

“Haynes understands that swooningly beautiful traditional technique bolstered by thrilling performances creates the greatest impact. He has made a serious melodrama about the geometry of desire, a dreamy example of heightened reality that fully engages emotions despite the exact calculations with which it’s been made.” – Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

“It’s possible to watch Carol simply for its velvety beauty, but chances are that, by that stunning final moment, filmgoers will realize with a start that they care far more about the problems of these two people than they might have realized.” – Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post