Carolina (2003/I)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Marleen Gorris

Writer (WGA):

Katherine Fugate (written by)

Release Date:

4 July 2003 (Spain)

Genre:

Romance | Comedy

Plot:

A young woman escapes her wildly eccentric family in search for a life of normalcy. |

Plot Keywords:

Christmas Party | Thanksgiving | Los Angeles California | Book Reading | Growing Up

Cast

Julia Stiles	...	Carolina Mirabeau
Shirley MacLaine	...	Grandma Millicent Mirabeau
Alessandro Nivola	...	Albert Morris
Randy Quaid	...	Theodore 'Ted' Mirabeau
Edward Atterton	...	Heath Pierson
Azura Skye	...	Georgia Mirabeau
Mika Boorem	...	Maine Mirabeau
Jennifer Coolidge	...	Aunt Marilyn
Alan Thicke	...	Chuck McBride - Perfect Date Host
John Capodice	...	Ernie the Cook
Lisa Sheridan	...	Debbie
Ambyr Childers	...	Young Carolina
Daveigh Chase	...	Young Georgia
Lauri Johnson	...	Susan the Waitress
Michael Panes	...	John

Also Known As:

Carolina - Auf der Suche nach Mr. Perfect (Germany)
Carolina Torn Asunder (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content.

Runtime:

Canada:96 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:M | Spain:7 | USA:PG-13 | Germany:6 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Bregman-IAC Productions

Trivia:

Kathy Bates was originally considered for the role of Grandma Mirabeau, later given to Shirley MacLaine.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Carolina and Albert are driving in Albert's Jeep Grand Cherokee to Carolina's grandmother's house for Thanksgiving, the Jeep clearly doesn't have any license plates on the front or back of the vehicle; instead there are dealership advertisement plates. Later in the movie, when Albert goes to dinner with his new girlfriend and her parents, an actual license plate can be seen on the back of the Jeep.

Quotes:

Carolina Mirabeau: [to ex lover Heath] It's like you're this beautiful, expensive Italian suit. And I just don't have the faintest idea where I'm gonna wear you.

Movie Connections:

Features Fear in the Night (1947)

Another fab Shirley MacLaine performance

This picture is billed as a romantic comedy but it's really more about family and how that can affect romances. While this is definitely a fluff piece, Shirley MacLaine's character and acting knock it out of the ballpark.

Julia Stiles, by contrast, is wooden and unsympathetic in her role as the female romantic lead. I kept wanting to see her in some 1970's BBC drama where emotionless, physically dull acting was more the rage.

Azura Skye does a nice turn in the predictable role of "the trashy sister" who gets pregnant after a one-night stand. Randy Quaid and the rest of the cast practically disappear except to act as foils to MacLaine's outrageous "tough love/live life my own way" Grandma.

This is not great art or even great romantic comedy. You won't need to see it more than once. Watch it for MacLaine's performance and be ready to fluff your way through the rest!