Stránky

Monday 14 March 2016

Best Supporting Actress 2015: Rooney Mara - Carol

Carol is a beautiful film. It is probably my favourite film of the year. The way it expresses the relationship of two lesbians is simply flawless. It has got a unique atmosphere and I definitely prefer it to Brokeback Mountain, which has a similar topic.
Rooney Mara plays Therese, a young woman, who falls in love with an older lady played by Cate Blanchett. The fact that Mara was put into the supporting category is the most ridiculous case of a category fraud I've seen in years. The whole story is portrayed through Therese's point of view and if one of the these ladies is supporting, it would be Blanchett, but the truth is that both of them are co-lead.
Mara's performance is very very subtle, yet it's so fascinating to watch. By her subtlety, Mara was able to become somehow cute and that's the best way to approach this character, because we can more easily sympathize with her. She portrays a shy and inexperienced young woman, who is still searching for herself. She doesn't understand the feelings she gets, she doesn't know how to act, she's a bit confused of the whole situation. This is wonderfully showed in scenes with her boyfriend, for example.
I really loved the emotional moments of Therese, as Mara takes a great approach to them. Most of them are portrayed solely through her eyes (such as the first dinner with Carol, or their first meeting at the shop). Mara is somehow irresistable because of this.
There is a wonderful, yet very brief scene in the film, in which Mara is on a train and she cries. Not only was she able to carry my attention, but she raised such emotions in me that I have never experienced by any other film performance in a very long time. Though it's a short moment, I suddenly felt so sorry for her, asking why is she crying and I wanted to soothe her. This would probably be her best scene.
What proves the perfection of this performance, is the fact that we don't wonder, why this character falls in love with an older woman. Both of the actresses are so realistic in creating their relationship that it's a pure joy to watch.
The chances of winning an Oscar: When the nominees came out, I thought she was the frontrunner. As the time went on, I realized it was not so possible. Right now, I guess she was the fourth...

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