I'm so obsessed with this film, I've been watching it in awe every week for the past few weeks. To me, it's like listening to a great piece of music, getting better with each viewing. It's such a beautiful film to watch with every scene carefully constructed, every set design(some in Todd Haynes parent's home!)intriguing and breathtakingly crafted with the colours and lighting eerily muted. Everything in Carol's world is beautiful but hides an underlying menace, an obvious metaphor for her internal turmoil.
The premise is Carol develops a severe allergic reaction to her environment, suddenly becoming extremely sensitive to fumes and smells from everyday suburban/city living. Of course, if you take it that literally, you're missing the point. This is more an exploration into the human condition and the artificial happiness we perpetuate in our seemingly unachievable quest for perfection via material possessions. The opening sequence includes one of the most soul destroying and familiar scenarios (coming from a fellow female) that I have witnessed with the supposed 'love making' scene with her husband, especially the 'patting on the back' scene as he fulfils his primal need. She's not a happy camper.
The film then moves into 'society' territory where we witness Carol's attempts to fit in with the American/Western Society ideal. Todd Haynes shines during this part of the film as he ever-so-carefully paints the picture of insidious tedium that Carol encounters during her struggle to recognise what is 'wrong' with her. In particular, I love the scene where Carol enters her friend's ultra modern home to console her on the death of a relative. The friend utters the words "It's so unreal" in such an ironically surreal environment.
We then move into the third act of the film where Carol is forced to seek proper 'help' for her condition. After the 'slap in the face' realisation that this all may be in her mind, with a perfectly executed scene (especially the set!) at the psychiatrist's office, she happens upon a brochure at her local gym entitled "Do You Smell Fumes?".
From here on the movie turns into true horror with Carol moving into the isolated complex with other so called 'victims' of modern society/pollution. Some of the scenes remind me of my teenage years where my older brother took me a 'Born Again Christian' Church (no offence!) where people spoke in tongues and generally 'freaked out' because of their obvious reaction to the perceived constraints of their lives. It's quite an uncomfortable experience, especially with Carol's husband present, and Mr Haynes captures it perfectly. We then experience some almost unbearable scenes between Carol and her husband, who's trying to show some understanding and empathy but doesn't quite get it (with son in tow) and the frustration is dreadfully apparent.
Then we see the product of this 'cult' gone too far with the fellow in the weird getup walking around like he's seriously physically crippled around the complex, the ultimate in horror! The film ends with Carol finally moving into one the ceramic built enclosures that supposedly protect and help you build your resilience to your environment. She looks at herself in the mirror, recalling a story from a fellow cult member, and pitifully says "I love you".
The premise is Carol develops a severe allergic reaction to her environment, suddenly becoming extremely sensitive to fumes and smells from everyday suburban/city living. Of course, if you take it that literally, you're missing the point. This is more an exploration into the human condition and the artificial happiness we perpetuate in our seemingly unachievable quest for perfection via material possessions. The opening sequence includes one of the most soul destroying and familiar scenarios (coming from a fellow female) that I have witnessed with the supposed 'love making' scene with her husband, especially the 'patting on the back' scene as he fulfils his primal need. She's not a happy camper.
The film then moves into 'society' territory where we witness Carol's attempts to fit in with the American/Western Society ideal. Todd Haynes shines during this part of the film as he ever-so-carefully paints the picture of insidious tedium that Carol encounters during her struggle to recognise what is 'wrong' with her. In particular, I love the scene where Carol enters her friend's ultra modern home to console her on the death of a relative. The friend utters the words "It's so unreal" in such an ironically surreal environment.
We then move into the third act of the film where Carol is forced to seek proper 'help' for her condition. After the 'slap in the face' realisation that this all may be in her mind, with a perfectly executed scene (especially the set!) at the psychiatrist's office, she happens upon a brochure at her local gym entitled "Do You Smell Fumes?".
From here on the movie turns into true horror with Carol moving into the isolated complex with other so called 'victims' of modern society/pollution. Some of the scenes remind me of my teenage years where my older brother took me a 'Born Again Christian' Church (no offence!) where people spoke in tongues and generally 'freaked out' because of their obvious reaction to the perceived constraints of their lives. It's quite an uncomfortable experience, especially with Carol's husband present, and Mr Haynes captures it perfectly. We then experience some almost unbearable scenes between Carol and her husband, who's trying to show some understanding and empathy but doesn't quite get it (with son in tow) and the frustration is dreadfully apparent.
Then we see the product of this 'cult' gone too far with the fellow in the weird getup walking around like he's seriously physically crippled around the complex, the ultimate in horror! The film ends with Carol finally moving into one the ceramic built enclosures that supposedly protect and help you build your resilience to your environment. She looks at herself in the mirror, recalling a story from a fellow cult member, and pitifully says "I love you".