Carol

A brief encounter can change your whole life. This assertion can only be underscored by young department store clerk Therese (Rooney Mara) when wealthy Carol (Cate Blanchett) stands before her one day. Immediately, the shy Therese is fascinated by the elegant yet mysterious woman. As they get to know each other, a close bond quickly develops between the disparate women that could turn into the love of a lifetime. But this is of course unthinkable in 1950s New York, especially since Carol's husband Harge (Kyle Chandler) won't let his trophy wife go so easily. He'll try anything to keep Carol, even if it means using the daughter they share. And soon Carol and Therese are left wondering if true love can indeed overcome all obstacles.

For over thirty years, acclaimed author Patricia Highsmith had kept quiet about the fact that she was behind the pseudonym Claire Morgan, under which the novel Salt and Its Price was published in 1952. Although the book became a huge success, the then 30-year-old author felt it was simply too risky to jeopardize the popularity she had just achieved with Two Strangers on a Train with a story about the forbidden love between two women. Even if our society is now a little more open-minded, even after more than 60 years one can still feel how much the fear of hostility, social ostracism or even violence made a love like the one between Carol and Therese impossible.

With the romantic drama Carol, director Todd Haynes (I`m not there) now dares to adapt the worldwide bestseller. In doing so, he not only succeeds in bringing the New York of the early 1950s to the screen in a visually believable way. Haynes also very effectively realizes the very conservative atmosphere in which a public confession of homosexuality was unthinkable. He can also rely on an extremely strong ensemble of actors to make the film a great piece of American acting cinema. Cate Blanchett in particular delivers an impressive performance as a woman unwilling to be forced into a role by society. And Rooney Mara is also convincing as an initial naïf who becomes aware of her own strength through her love for another woman.

However, all these positives can't mask the fact that the production is occasionally too worn to be truly captivating. Haynes gets lost in some moments that are pretty to look at, but don't really move the story forward. The film doesn't necessarily need pacing, but a few cuts would have done the flow of the dramaturgy some real good. Because with the resulting lengths, the movie might seem too tough or even boring to some viewers. And that's a real shame given the truly beautiful and moving story.

Carol is a good movie. At times, even a very good one. It's well-acted, well-crafted, and well-written. But the production, which is too leisurely and a bit self-indulgent in places, repeatedly gets in the way of the story's full power unfolding. If you want to see strong actresses in a beautiful story and can put up with some tough moments, this romantic drama can be warmly recommended. Worth seeing

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp