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Thursday, April 25, 2024
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HOLLYWOOD CARRIE
EDITOR'S PICK
'Carrie'
- performances strike a chord (IANS Movie Review)
Rating: ***
"Carrie" is a mother-daughter bonding film. It is packed with unusual
expressive intensity and effective heart-breaking character arcs.
Director Kimberley Peirce's "Carrie" hooks you from the first frame
itself with the cries of a heavily pregnant Margret fervently praying to her
almighty to protect her in the hour of her need, followed by the safe unaided
delivery of her child. But then the use of the unsterilised scissors purported
to cut the umbilical cord offers a tinge of classic horror that ignites pathos
for the innocent baby and events to follow.
Years later, the child, Carrie White grows up to be a muddled kid. Shy and
outcast, she is torn between a progressive world and an over-protective fanatic
mother. During her period of loneliness Carrie discovers that she possesses
telekinetic powers, genetically transmitted through her father. She enhances her
skills by reading the web and books about it.
Always edgy, she longs for a regular life at school and at home, but
unfortunately normalcy eludes her. She rebels against her mother's diktat and
extreme religious beliefs when she decides to attend her school prom with her
classmate Sue Snell's boyfriend Tommy Ross. This sets the stage for a memorable
magical night of dancing and violent revenge after a humiliating prom queen
coronation.
Based on Stephen King's 1974 bestseller of the same name, Peirce's
"Carrie" does not deviate from Brian De Palma's Oscar nominated 1976
film. Both have identical plot points inclusive of the pale imitation of one of
the most iconic ace prom-queen "humiliating" scene in movie history.
Chloë Grace Moretz, with her grace and charm evokes sympathy as the small town,
naive and ill-treated teenager Carrie. It's only during the initial scene in the
headmaster's room after the traumatic shower room scene that she fumbles. Her
reaction to the situation seems staged, but gradually as the film progresses,
Carrie sinks into your system. You empathise with her and feel for her. She is
sweetly effective, as well as menacing.
Julianne Moore as Carrie's mother Margret is a caricature. With a constantly
unkempt disposition, grumpy attitude armed with a Bible and constantly praying,
she gets on your nerves. Her disturbing performance is what is meant to be and
that, she delivers effectively.
They are efficiently supported with Gabriella Wilde as the repentant Sue Snell,
Ansel Elgort as her charming understanding boyfriend on one end of the character
graph and on the other end Portia Doubleday as the devious Chris Hargensen along
with her ruthless boyfriend Alex Russell.
They along with Judy Greer as the sympathetic gym teacher Desjardin, who rises
to the role of Carrie's confidant and Barry Shabaka Henley as the ill-informed
school headmaster, complete the high school atmosphere.
The screenplay by Lawrence D. Cohen and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is crisp and
aggressive.
The audio-visual effects as well as the edits are good and contemporary. The
most outstanding shot is the death scene at the end involving the shattered
windshield. It jerks you out of your seat.
Overall, "Carrie" is not a classic, plugged with modern day horror
cliche, yet it is worth a watch as it simply touches an emotional chord.
