Film review: Carol was incredibly beautiful, but it left me wanting more.

About two-thirds of the way through Cate Blanchett‘s latest film, Carol, I began to wonder: “Is this it?”

Directed by Todd Haynes, Carol is incredibly beautiful. The sets, lighting, costumes, cinematography, casting, direction and acting are all impeccable.

What’s missing here is a story with meat on its bones.

It’s 1952 and we’re in New York City.

Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara) is working the toy department before Christmas when she encounters the dazzling Carol Aird shopping for a present for her daughter.

Belivet is immediately captivated by Carol, who returns her attentions.

After her divorce proceedings take an unpleasant turn, Carol decides to invite Belivet on a cross-country road trip and the young aspiring photographer agrees.

The connection between the women is deep, and their relationship unfurls languidly and urgently all at once.

But replace Therese with Timothy, and you would have the equivalent of a Nicholas Sparks story. And not a very good one.

Maybe it’s the bubble I live in, but I don’t find two women falling in love to be an enthralling or original story on its own.

There needs to be more to it than “it’s interesting because they’re women” or “it’s interesting because you get to see two female movie stars get it on”.

And for me, Carol didn’t have another way to make it interesting. I even found it somewhat frustrating that at a time when this would have been such an unconventional relationship, so many characters seemed to be accepting of it in the same way you would expect your friends to be today.

There was no friction where it felt like really there should have been.

The main obstacle to our heroines being together was a controlling husband with a morality clause – something that in 1952 could have been invoked no matter what gender the person you had an affair with was.

Based on a Patricia Highsmith novel, I know the writers of the screenplay struggled a bit in transferring the concept to the big screen.

Maybe that’s the reason it falls a little flat.

I think it’s wonderful that movies are being made that have characters in them who reflect the breadth of human emotion and the diversity of the community, but I also think accolades should not be dolled out purely because something is rarely attempted.

I want more stories about GLBTI relationships being produced and invested in, just like I want more stories anchored by women, and more stories that reflect the ethnic and religious diversity of our world.

But I want great stories. Challenging stories. Difficult stories.

Carol didn’t quite get there for me, which was disappointing because I was so excited to see it.

But don’t write it off entirely  – do see it if for nothing more than the exquisite costumes and flawless acting.  Because those two things alone are worth the price of your ticket.