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Summer Blockbuster Season tends to be a time for brainless laughs and explosive action. But if you’re not a fan of big-budget thrillers or madcap comedies, you can still seek out the smaller, less mainstream films that make their way to theaters and streaming platforms, like director Benjamin Millepied’s Carmen.
Carmen tells the story of a young woman’s escape to a new life. After her mother’s death, Carmen (Melissa Barrera) sets out to find a way across the border. But as she travels with a group by night, she encounters a group of border patrol agents, as well as men who hunt those trying to cross into the States. Carmen is rescued by one of the men, Marine veteran Aidan (Paul Mescal). And with the police searching for them both, they make their way to Los Angeles to find Carmen’s mother’s closest friend.
As these troubled characters end up on the run together, it seems like the film could turn out to be an action-packed and dramatic story of two people finding each other when they need it most. Instead, it plays out in a way that’s hazy and experimental, with overpowering music, minimal dialogue, and the occasional random dance interlude—definitely more of a small art-house release than a wide-release drama.
Though the story has moments of clarity, much of the film feels rather obscure. It merely hints at the characters’ back stories—at Carmen’s need to escape from men who are looking for her and Aiden’s struggle to readjust to civilian life. And though more of their personalities come out during the journey, viewers are left to feel their way through the film instead of really understanding.
Still, despite the overall haziness of this perplexing drama, it can also be incredibly captivating—especially in the final act, after the two fugitives have arrived in Los Angeles and are under the care of Rossy de Palma’s edgy night club owner Masilda. It’s here where the film finally reaches its stride—where the drama and culture and music and dancing all come together in a way that feels like it works. But in order to get to that point, viewers will have to sit through a whole lot of chaos and confusion.
Carmen definitely isn’t a film for mainstream audiences. The artsy, experimental side certainly makes it a tough sell. And while it does have some striking moments, the average viewer will most likely struggle to connect—and they’ll lose interest before it gets interesting.
Check your local listings to see when Carmen will be traveling through town. The film arrives in select theaters on May 19, 2023.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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