IMDb plot summary: Carrie White, a shy and outcast 17 year-old girl who is sheltered by her domineering, religious mother, unleashes her telekinetic powers after being humiliated by her classmates at her senior prom.
Directed by Brian De Palma. Starring Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, and William Katt.
(Spoilers.)
Halfway through this movie, I was rolling my eyes and telling my husband, "This movie is SO BAD." But, oh, goodness gracious, that ending. I knew what happened -- most people probably do, even if they've never read the book or seen the movie -- but something about actually seeing it play out was horrifying and heartwrenching. Sissy Spacek's completely still body posture and wide blue eyes portray her not as a furious, vengeful teenager, but as someone in shock at how badly things went once she let her guard down. Watching her move through the school and out the door, in complete shock, covered in blood, is one of the most hauntingly sad images I may have ever seen. For someone who empathizes with outcast characters, this movie may be almost physically painful to watch. Knowing everything was going to end poorly for her made me tense during the entire second half of the movie. I've KNOWN those kids, the ones who were so sheltered they barely knew how to interact with people around them, and while most of them have, thankfully, gone on to do just fine in the real world, I couldn't help thinking of them and hurting for them as I watched this movie. I'm not sure I could say I LIKED Carrie, but it definitely stuck with me enough that I have to give it some significant props. It made a full 180 for me from being one of the worst things I'd seen this year to being a pretty stunning movie.
3.5 stars.
How it entered my Flickchart:
Carrie > Dreamgirls
Carrie < The Artist
Carrie > Strictly Ballroom
Carrie > The Green Mile
Carrie > Princess Mononoke
Carrie < Don't Drink the Water
Carrie < Seven Up!
Carrie < A Goofy Movie
Carrie < Mary and Max
Carrie > Me and Orson Welles
Carrie > Crimson Tide
Final spot: #689 out of 2465.
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