CAROLINA CAROLINE (2026)

June 4, 2026

Greetings again from the darkness. Director Adam Carter Rehmeier (DINNER IN AMERICA, 2020) and screenwriter Tom Dean prove that a film need not cover new ground to be entertaining. Of course, it does help to have a strong cast. We’ve seen other movies, some considered classics, with star-crossed lovers wreaking havoc on the road. A few other romantic crime thrillers that come to mind are BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967), BADLANDS (1973), SUGARLAND EXPRESS (1974), and NATURAL BORN KILLERS (1994).

This ‘strong cast’ does not include any of the mega-stars from those films listed above. Perhaps it’s safer to say that Samara Weaving and Kyle Gallner are not yet at that level. You may know Ms. Weaving from the READY OR NOT movies or OVER YOUR DEAD BODY, and Mr. Gallner has been featured in the SMILE movies and STRANGE DARLING, among others. In this one, Caroline (Weaving) spots a con Oliver (Gallner) pulls on the convenience store owner. Caroline wants to escape her drab life in the only town she’s ever known, while Oliver is a slick charmer with a cool car who is willing to give her a ride.

Caroline says goodbye to her beloved dad Hank (Jon Gries, “The White Lotus”, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE) and hops in the car with Oliver. He falls hard for her and acts as a trainer for cons … in between sessions of intense passion. Soon, Caroline pushes Oliver for bank jobs, and next thing we know, she’s in a black wig with oversized sunglasses – flashing a gun at small town bank tellers across the southeastern U.S. See, they are on the road to South Carolina so that Caroline can track down the mother who abandoned her long ago.

As stated previously, none of this is new ground. We know exactly where the honky-tonk reunion with Deborah (Kyra Sedgwick) is going to lead, and it’s not long before there’s a manhunt (or whatever it’s called these days) for these Bonnie and Clyde types and, again, we know where this road leads. It’s kind of funny listening as Oliver explains that he’s not a bad guy since he’s stealing from shareholders, not working folks. It’s common knowledge that their time riding high can only last so long, and we expect the fall will be harsh and painful.

The soundtrack for the film is country and excellent. The film shares a title with a Jonathan Edwards song (he’s best known for “Sunshine (Go Away Today)”) and includes a Townes Van Zandt song (which readers know always earns bonus points from yours truly). It seems the only real misstep here stems from the film’s opening scene followed by a “3 months ago” flashback. This gives away the ending to a movie where we already know the all-too-familiar path.

Magnolia Pictures will release CAROLINA CAROLINE In Theaters on June 5, 2026

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

TIME OUT OF MIND (2015)

September 8, 2015

time out of mind Greetings again from the darkness. Poverty, mental illness and homelessness collide in this film from writer/director Oren Moverman (Oscar nominated for The Messenger). About the third time I asked myself if something was ever going to “happen”, it dawned on me that it was already happening. This is Moverman’s illumination of how society treats the homeless, and his vehicle comes in the surprising form of Richard Gere.

We follow George (Gere, making good use of his familiar facial tics and mannerisms) around the city as he bounces from vacant apartment to hospital to churches to second hand clothing stores … and finally to one of the city’s homeless shelters. It’s at this point where George befriends the talkative and seemingly helpful Dixon, played by the great Ben Vereen.

One of the key points the film makes is how the homeless are basically invisible to the rest of society. The characters describe this as being a cartoon – meaning, they aren’t even “real” people to the masses of NYC. Supposedly, Gere was in character on the streets and was passed by without anyone noticing. Vereen’s character helps George get on track for re-establishing his identity. See, without any form of ID, there is no welfare, food stamps, etc (except, of course, voting – a topic for another time). The only real sub-plot involves George and his estranged daughter played by the always excellent Jena Malone. She excels in her scenes with Gere, and provides the most sincere and affecting emotion in the film.

It’s a very odd movie, as there are numerous “quick hit” scenes that feature such fine actors as Steve Buscemi, Michael Kenneth Williams, Kyra Sedgwick, Geraldine Hughes, and Jeremy Strong. None are on screen for much time, but each help demonstrate the daily challenges faced by the homeless who are so dependent on the charity of others.

It takes a patient viewer to stick with Gere’s character as he comes to grips with his situation, but the camera work shooting inside/out and outside/in (through windows, doors, etc) provides visual interest, as do the lively and real sounds and movements of the streets of NYC. It may not pack the punch of The Messenger, but it’s further proof that Oren Moverman’s insightful projects deserve attention.

watch the trailer:

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson