Carol

Todd Haynes's tasteful yet sometimes tedious adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1952 novel, The Price of Salt (published under the pseudonym Claire Morgan because Highsmith's mother disapproved of her daughter's romantic preference for women) stars Oscar nominee Cate Blanchett as Carol Aird, a wealthy about-to-be-divorcee who meets salesgirl Therese Belivet (Oscar nominee Rooney Mara) while shopping for a Christmas gift for her young daughter. Carol leaves her expensive leather gloves on the counter, and after Therese mails them back, Carol invites her to visit her elegant New Jersey home. They eye each other longingly, but this is the 1950s, so they maintain a modest demeanor. Impulsively, Carol asks aspiring photographer Therese to accompany her on a cross-country trip. Clad in a mink coat, glamorous, gold-haired Carol is exquisite, while insipid, indecisive Therese is simply infatuated. Eventually, the pair acknowledge their physical attraction. Unfortunately, they exhibit neither sexual chemistry nor emotional rapport—no playfulness, no humor, only angst and guilt. Indeed, languid Carol seems to relate far better to her ex-lover (Sarah Paulson), who remains her best friend/confidante, coming to her aid when the going gets rough. Haynes's slow-paced, fetishistic, formalized direction is stylishly restrained, making for rather tepid melodrama. Curiously, the most sensitive and affecting scene is not between the two women, but rather when Carol finally confronts her bitter, bewildered husband (Kyle Chandler)—begging him to put their daughter's welfare above his vindictiveness in their ongoing custody battle. Still, given the Oscar attention, this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes (36 min.), cast and crew Q&A highlights (30 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for this multi-Oscar-nominee.] (S. Granger)