Carol is another carefully-wrought slice of superior melodrama from Todd Haynes, which is also one of the director's most successful and accomplished films. Haynes knows exactly how to excavate the painful voids in the souls of his characters, and in Carol his use of visual placement, gesture and framing is exquisite. Blanchett's brilliantly poised, experienced older woman contrasts beautifully with Mara's ingénue shopgirl as their lives collide and feelings deepen, and Sarah Paulson as Blanchette's best friend gets more out of a couple of scenes than most actresses manage in an entire movie. Apart from the joy of watching exemplary performances, this is a stunningly-wrought movie that revels in its recreation of the early 50s in every respect, from Carter Burwell's score to Sandy Powell's costume design to Phyllis Nagy's gorgeously precise script from the Patricia Highsmith story. Todd Haynes should enjoy major mainstream recognition for this fine piece of film-making.
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