Dallas Fisher

Being from a small town, while also being an enjoyer of watching hot people on the big screen, Carolina Caroline really worked for me.

I spoke with a friend that saw this before me at MSPIFF (Minnesota St Paul International Film Festival) and he did describe it as “hot people doing crime”. If that isn’t the most accurate description of this movie, then I don’t know what is. I mean, just look at Samara Weaving and Kyle Gallner! Them being the only attractive people in this hell hole of a town/country makes their meeting all the more fateful. Now, I’m not saying I was the most attractive person to come out of my town, but I’m glad I can say I relate to the themes of this film by also getting out on my own terms.

Forgetting about the attractiveness of the actors for a second, let’s get into why this movie also works. Yeah, we’ve seen a similar narrative like this one before, but using two actors on upswings really sold the motives of these characters. Watching one, Gallner, working his way through towns on a crime spree, was such a grimy look at where this story was going and I was hooked. He seems to only play redneck adjacent characters, but I’m not complaining. I could watch him explain how to do quick-change scams for hours. Crime 101 would have been a better title for this film than the actual one, as it actually explains how to do said crime.

Now, Samara Weaving getting sucked into this world was such a delight. We get to see her wig-out, be the best on screen smoker, and ultimately control the situation once things become clear for her character. As mentioned before, doing things on your own terms is extremely prevalent with her as the main character. You’re never quite sure why she’s doing the things she is doing, but the different angles is what makes her interesting and dangerous. This is certainly the most engaged I’ve been in a Weaving performance to date.

It was a subdued blast watching this semi-road trip movie work its way through rural America. Passing through banks and restaurants,and wondering when it will end for our characters made things stressful. If none of this is convincing enough, just wait until you hear their accents.

The law of attraction cannot be denied here.

7.8/10