Carolina

Another magnificent film from Stiles, and another Film Festival movie. I waited and waited for this film to be released in Region 1 so that I could snag it, and then promptly bought it from Canada. Carolina (Stiles) is gloriously and comically oblivious to Albert's (Nivola) obvious love for her. You'll laugh at Grandma Mirabeau's (MacLaine) outrageous humor, you'll sigh with Albert each time Carolina doesn't see what's obviously there, and you'll rage with them when they lash out in anger for lack of a better defense. But, it's a movie after all, so you'll be smiling in the end. It's a wonderful film that had my attention from the very first scene. One of the best romantic comedies I've seen in years.

The "troubled teen gets tough love" genre is a well-loved genre, ever since The Blackboard Jungle in 1955. I watch a lot of these movies, and Carolina is a pretty good one.

The troubled teen in this one is actually an adult, but it's still the same type of movie. Julia Stiles, whose "too cool for school" attitude is perfectly plastered on her perpetually sourpuss face, is mad at her family because they're eccentric and she's trying to mature into a mainstream young woman. Her name is Carolina because everyone in her family is named after the state in which they were born, and she despises her name just as much as her eccentric relatives.

If you've seen a lot of these movies, like I have, you pretty much know the formula. Carolina doesn't stray too far from the typical mold, but if you're in the mood for a little cheese in your movies and relatives who are too wacky to be realistic, give this one a whirl.

Carolina is a warm and tender movie that will make you chuckle and at times laugh out loud. The Performances by Julia Stiles and Shirley MacLaine are wonderful as is their chemistry together. Unfortunately I was only able to see this on DVD and not the big screen where I would have enjoyed it so much.

How do I know this was an entertaining movie well worth recommending to others, because when it was over I had laughed, shed a tear and it left me with a smile on my face. See this if you can.

This picture is billed as a romantic comedy but it's really more about family and how that can affect romances. While this is definitely a fluff piece, Shirley MacLaine's character and acting knock it out of the ballpark.

Julia Stiles, by contrast, is wooden and unsympathetic in her role as the female romantic lead. I kept wanting to see her in some 1970's BBC drama where emotionless, physically dull acting was more the rage.

Azura Skye does a nice turn in the predictable role of "the trashy sister" who gets pregnant after a one-night stand. Randy Quaid and the rest of the cast practically disappear except to act as foils to MacLaine's outrageous "tough love/live life my own way" Grandma.

This is not great art or even great romantic comedy. You won't need to see it more than once. Watch it for MacLaine's performance and be ready to fluff your way through the rest!

Carolina (Julia Stiles) might be termed the sane one in an Addams-like family. Her grandmother (Shirley MacLaine) is notorious for doing and saying what she likes in their southern town. Sister Georgia is single and pregnant from a one night stand and sister Maine is a rocking horse-riding, lottery obsessed girl. The family's father is a semi-recovering alcoholic who turned to drink after the mother's death. Oh, and Aunt Marilyn is a madam. Only Carolina seems to be the white bread type, having a job in television and a British businessman for a boyfriend. However, Carolina has a long relationship with the handsome writer next door, Albert (Alessandro Nivola). It has been a friendship; could it ever be anything else? Amid the chaos of a very strange family situation, a nice love story emerges. Stiles is wonderful as the beautiful young lady who loves her family but hopes to live a more sedate life. MacLaine is really quite nice, also, as the eccentric grandmother and the other cast members are fine. However, the story is a stroll down life in extremes, careening from one bizarre incident to another. Maybe there are families like this one but, if you ever meet one, run for your life. That said, if you wish to locate another sorta-romcom for the evening, you might try this one, especially if you have seen most of the other light comedy-and-romance films that are out there.