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
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. We all love a good (and sneaky) twist in a movie. It takes exceptional storytelling and acting to pull it off, and it’s a bit funny when it becomes obvious that the screenwriter just kind of ran out of ways to maintain the suspense. That’s what happens about twenty minutes into this one from writer-director Katie Aselton, real life wife of filmmaker Mark Duplass, who also co-wrote this script.
Greetings again from the darkness. For those of us who love movies and watch entirely too many each week/month/year, we have hardened to the fact that every so often we find one that simply doesn’t click for us. Even then, we hope to latch on to a particular character, setting, or element to the story that will keep us engaged. Sometimes the really odd, unconventional films are the ones with the most to offer – even though they often require the most ‘mental’ effort to connect.
Greetings again from the darkness. The Farrelly Brothers (Bobby and Peter) were the creative force behind such comedy classics as DUMB AND DUMBER (1994), THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY (1998), and one of my personal favorites, OUTSIDE PROVIDENCE (1999). At some point, the brothers decided to split up and work on their own projects. Peter won a couple of Oscars for GREEN BOOK (2018), and now Bobby, working from a screenplay by Thomas Moffett (AN ACTOR PREPARES, 2018), delivers one more in line with the brothers’ early works.
Greetings again from the darkness. The first feature film from writer-director Sophy Romvari has been well received on the festival circuit, and it’s easy to see why so many have been drawn in by this Canadian- Hungarian production. It’s a deeply personal film with autobiographical elements from the filmmaker. The best family dramas often deliver a gut-punch, and this one certainly does … yet it’s the storytelling structure that provides hope for future gems like this.
Greetings again from the darkness. Thoreau famously wrote, “The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation.” That quote may overstate the being of the staff at The Grand, a 100-year-old hotel that once provided service for royalty, but now the seaside inn is crumbling at the seams and desperate for guests. The feature film directorial debut from writer-director Harry Sherriff and co-written by Laurence Tratalos is quite a pleasant surprise.
Greetings again from the darkness. The concept of ‘normal behavior’ seems quite elusive these days, but clearly the uncontrollable ticks and inappropriate (for proper society) verbal outbursts of Tourette Syndrome add to life’s complexities. Writer-director Kirk Jones (WAKING NED DEVINE, 1998) takes on the true story of John Davidson, whose actions prove role models come in many forms. Although the film doesn’t dig too deeply, it benefits from the real-life actions of one man and a couple of excellent lead performances … plus the always welcome presence of two beloved character actors.
Greetings again from the darkness. The popularity and staying power of Karaoke shows just how much we enjoy singing. Even for those with crippling stage fright, singing in the shower can provide a bit of joy. But what about those with real talent? There is only so much room for the Adeles and Ed Sheerans of the world. Co-directors Angelique Molina and Abraham Troen take us inside the world of collegiate a cappella (singing without instrumentation). Now, you are likely to immediately think of either church choir, barbershop quartets, or Pentatonix … all fine singing choices, yet all a bit different than what the film documents.
Greetings again from the darkness. As evidenced by the abundance of ‘shoot-em-ups’ released each and every year, it’s clearly not that challenging for screenwriters to find a reason to have characters firing bullets at each other. Director Ben Wheatley proved his mettle with this genre in 2016 with the excellent and madcap FREE FIRE. This time out, he’s working from a script by Derek Kolstad (the “John Wick” and “Nobody” franchises) and Bob Odenkirk (well known comedy writer and star of “Better Call Saul”).
Greetings again from the darkness. For a soldier of war, making it back home is the goal; yet it’s also only a first step. What comes home with the veteran is never simple. Many films have characterized PTSD on screen, but the debut feature from writer-director Aaron Davidman digs even deeper. Slinger (Joshua Close, “Fargo”) returns home as a wounded Special Forces veteran who nearly died (perhaps he even did briefly) and now must rediscover his own self while also finding his place in a society that presents so many challenges for him.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 