Bonnie and Clyde robbed banks.
So do the antiheroes in “Carolina Caroline,” except the filmmakers are too enamored of the duo to tease out right from wrong.
It’s the biggest hurdle this indie film encounters, smacking its narrative shin in the process. The other is less obvious but profound. We’ve seen these characters too many times before, and “Carolina Caroline” isn’t sly enough to make them stand out from the crowd.
Star Samara Weaving tries her best, and at times her stirring work comes close. It’s not enough to salvage the feature.
Weaving plays Caroline, a Heartland gal whose life hasn’t panned out as planned. She lives with her father (Jon Gries) and makes a modest living at a local convenience store. That’s where she meets Oliver (Kyle Gallner), a moody rebel who plays the locals for fools.
And, to be fair, they go along a mite too well.
She’s enamored with his moxie and willingness to bend society to his liking. They fall in love, fast and hard, and he takes her on as a protégé. Who would think such a stunner would pull two-bit scams on unsuspecting souls?
Suddenly, her small-town dreams aren’t enough. He offers her a way to do more than just survive. Yes, that means they’ll soon be robbing banks.
If you think you know where this story is going … give yourself a gold star. Part of “Carolina Caroline’s” problem is how predictable this template proves. We’ve seen too many charismatic strangers lure broken women down dark paths.
Screenwriter Tom Dean does little to shake up that formula. It’s all there, from her budding confidence to the close calls the duo face as they strive for bigger targets.
Weaver and Gallner boast crackling chemistry, and there’s something enthralling about seeing them build each other up. Oliver isn’t as cruel as most characters in this story template, which is both smart and part of the story’s undoing.
He’s tender and empathetic, yet he’s willing to put her in harm’s way. Repeatedly. What kind of partner does that, even a kinder Clyde type?
“Carolina Caroline” makes no fuss about the crimes in question. Sure, the two rationalize their schemes, but it’s pure spin.
They’re two-bit hoodlums, no matter how they frame their actions.
Caroline’s backstory has her pining to visit South Carolina, presumably where her estranged mother lives. Said Momma, given an over-the-top turn by a recognizable star, explains some of Caroline’s emotional pain.
It’s still not enough to justify the moral pretzel twists on display. But that’s modern Hollywood for you. Too many films make us root for antiheroes, putting the law on a back burner. Heck, our broken economy (late-stage capitalism!) gives crooks an unblinking green light.
Sorry. Not even close.
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That moral toxicity gives way to a third act teeming with genre action, at least until a sinking feeling emerges.
Whose side is this story on?
We’ve seen endless hitman movies begging us to cheer on unrepentant killers. It’s a trend the woke mob allowed without incident, one of many reasons not to trust that crowd.
The recent “Emily the Criminal” suggested the antihero’s thievery made her worthy of an aw, shucks finale.
“Carolina Caroline” is far messier, to its credit. It’s also fallen so hard for its leads that its final sequence, meant to be a “yessss” epilogue, becomes more of a sickening sigh.
HiT or Miss: Strong performances and a sturdy soundtrack give “Carolina Caroline” a welcome pulse, but we’re left wondering why lawbreaking is suddenly hip on screen.