I don’t remember if there was a movie ever made about same gender love in such a beautiful, subtle, gentle and careful way, the way it has been magically directed by Todd Haynes. After all, love is a human emotion that must be felt and experienced by anyone despite your beliefs, sexual preference or anything else we human beings might invent sometime in the close or distant future. Therese Belivet dreams of a better life, but instead, gets the love of her life. A love that will strike her immediately in an absolutely unpredictable way. One day, a tall, elegant and twice as old woman will walk into the shop where Therese works, to awaken the feelings a young woman could never have imagined she could experience.
When the movie begins we find Carol Aird sitting and chatting with Therese about something we are yet to find out. Their conversation is cut short by young man, who is heading to the same party Therese planned to go. Carol perhaps, a bit disappointed, or with anxiety, you never know, leaves the restaurant with an expectation only known to her and Therese. Meantime, we see Therese being stunned by something after being interrupted by a man makes her quickly withdraw from the building… and this is when as she recalls the events happened not far in the past do we get a chance to find out the cause that brings the two women to discuss something very intimate and important for them….
What is great about Carol is that it’s full of suggestions, no direct connection with anything that could have ruined the viewer’s expectations. It slowly develops the story, while the gap intentionally created by the filmmaker is filled up with two absolutely exceptional performances, delivered by Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett. What the two can’t tell or confess, the silence, their gesture, look, a certain part of their body or facial expression tells you more than any word could have expressed. And when there is nothing to say, their eyes start communicating with each other, without even a single touch.
It is, however, Therese who must change herself significantly when she meets Carol. Amazing transformation of her inner world begins with the moment she meets Carol. You as a viewer need no proof or hear such an obvious line, “I love you” when Carol and Therese have their own way to express their feelings to each other There are many scenes that can be described or perhaps be discussed as a separate subject, while one thing you will be assured throughout the film – that you’re watching nothing more or less, but an insta-classic movie with even more classical performances that will be talked for decades.
Todd Haynes creates an absolutely mesmerizing world, adding to it a sensitive score, cinematography and his intuition, allowing the two lead cast to throw themselves into romance they will find hard to avoid. Rooney Mara is a true star of this film, where her plea, desire and feelings appear for us without even delivering a single line, and the great Cate Blanchett, who seems was simply born to play Carol. In conclusion, Haynes’ film is amazing and gorgeous in a million ways; it will simply win your heart. It’s engrossing, lovely, subtle and such a deep movie by all means. The closing scene where Carol and Therese talk to each other with their eyes will make you run and get another ticket to watch the entire film all over again. After all, why not, if it’s a genuine piece of art?