Caroline and Jackie

Last updated
Caroline and Jackie
Caroline and Jackie Official Release poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Adam Christian Clark
Written byAdam Christian Clark
Produced byAdam Hendricks
Starring
CinematographyChristian Swegal
Edited byAdam Christian Clark
Lisa Hendricks
Music by Lisbeth Scott
Production
company
Blueberry Films
Distributed by Phase 4 Films
Release dates
  • April 21, 2012 (2012-04-21)(Tribeca Film Festival)
  • May 3, 2013 (2013-05-03)(US Theatrical)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Caroline and Jackie is a 2013 arthouse [1] drama film written and directed by Adam Christian Clark.

Contents

Set in Los Angeles over the course of one night, the script focuses on the emotionally complex relationship between two sisters and their close group of friends. [2]

Plot

The film's opening credits have a lingering sense of unease to them, which is capitalized on as soon as Caroline and Jackie arrive at the “surprise birthday party” Caroline has planned for Jackie (despite her birthday not being for two months and it actually being Caroline's birthday) – where the dynamic between the pair (and Ryan, to some degree) is pushed out to the larger group, ratcheted up by rapid cuts and lingering looks between Jackie's friends. But it's not just a surprise dinner party that Caroline has put together – when the group ends up back at Jackie's place, the real “party” is revealed. It's an intervention for Jackie, headed up by Caroline, who hopes that she and Jackie's friends can help her with a variety of issues – anorexia, pill abuse, alcoholism, and even sexual promiscuity. [3]

When Jackie inevitably flees the house, much of the tension of the film is deflated, but it does allow deeper character reveals, with Caroline making a move on another intervention attendee (or two), Jackie taking off for a bar, and every one of Jackie's supposedly worried friends acting less than caring. Clark uses some noticeable and basic plot tricks – pulling people apart and putting them back together, mixing up interactions between different characters, changing locations – but they all serve his aim, which is to slowly unfold the story in a believable way. [3]

The film sets the sisters up as opposing forces, and a question quickly arises – who is more believable? Is Jackie in denial or is Caroline lying? Is Jackie sick or is Caroline even sicker? Is Jackie coping with alcohol because she's a drunk or because she needs a stiff one after a terrible night? [3]

Cast

Reception

2012 Tribeca Film Festival release poster, by artist Vanessa Prager CAROLINE AND JACKIE, Tribeca Film Festival Release Poster, 2012.jpg
2012 Tribeca Film Festival release poster, by artist Vanessa Prager

Caroline and Jackie was met with mostly positive reviews at both its Tribeca Film Festival premiere and during its theatrical release. [4]

Anita Gates of The New York Times said, "True indie mentality and style are reassuringly alive in 2013 in “Caroline and Jackie,” nicely written and directed...It captures the awkwardness, loneliness and unacknowledged desperation that haunt us all but that are particularly poignant when seen among attractive 30-somethings." [5]

John Anderson of Variety said, "Displaying nerves of steel and a generous heart, helmer Adam Christian Clark takes a lot of chances with "Caroline and Jackie," a tale of troubled sisters that keeps the viewer off balance throughout before delivering a payoff that serves as both catharsis and absolution. While it does make demands of its audience, the cumulative emotional impact is startling." [2]

Steve Dollar of The Wall Street Journal called it "a delicious dinner party meltdown, visually polished and emotionally raw". He praised Moreau and Tulloch for "playing their yin/yang roles with gleaming intensity". [6]

Miranda Siegel of New York Magazine named it a must see film, praising its "top-notch performances" and its "unique combination of naturalistic acting and stylized technique". [7]

Jaime N. Christley of Slant Magazine was not as impressed. He writes, "Writer-director Adam Christian Clark's Caroline and Jackie clobbers the viewer with a wall of insistent stylishness, a Ketel One ad that just won't quit, or Bellflower for people whose Blackberry is a vital organ." [8]

On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes the film has an 80% rating based on reviews from 10 critics. [4] On Metacritic it has a score of 60% based on reviews from 6 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [9]

Music

In addition to an original score by Lisbeth Scott, the film features the Ruth Brown recording of Nellie Lutcher's "Hurry On Down". [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>All Over the Guy</i> 2001 film by Julie Davis

All Over the Guy is a 2001 American gay-themed romantic comedy film directed by Julie Davis and written by Dan Bucatinsky.

<i>Shampoo</i> (film) 1975 film directed by Hal Ashby

Shampoo is a 1975 American comedy film directed by Hal Ashby, and starring Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn, Lee Grant, Jack Warden, Tony Bill, and Carrie Fisher in her film debut. Co-written by Beatty and Robert Towne, the film follows a promiscuous Los Angeles hairdresser on Election Day 1968, as he juggles his relationships with several women. The film is a satire focusing on the theme of sexual politics and late-1960s sexual and social mores.

<i>The Devil Wears Prada</i> (novel) 2003 novel on which 2006 film is based

The Devil Wears Prada is a 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger about a young woman who is hired as a personal assistant to a powerful fashion magazine editor, a job that becomes nightmarish as she struggles to keep up with her boss's grueling schedule and demeaning demands. It spent six months on the New York Times bestseller list and became the basis for the 2006 film of the same name, starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt. The novel is considered by many to be an example of the "chick lit" genre.

<i>Untamed Heart</i> 1993 film

Untamed Heart is a 1993 American romantic drama film directed by Tony Bill, written by Tom Sierchio, and starring Christian Slater and Marisa Tomei. It tells the story of an unlikely romance between a young woman unlucky in love and a shy young man who has a heart defect. The original music score was composed by Cliff Eidelman, and includes a classical arrangement of "Nature Boy". A remixed version of Suzanne Vega's 1987 song "Tom's Diner" is featured in the opening scene of the film.

<i>Sherrybaby</i> 2006 film by Laurie Collyer

Sherrybaby is a 2006 American drama film written and directed by Laurie Collyer. Screened at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2006, the film received a limited release in the United States on September 8, 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Tulloch</span> American actress

Elizabeth Tulloch known as Bitsie Tulloch, is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Juliette Silverton / Eve in the NBC television series Grimm and as Lois Lane in The CW superhero television series Superman & Lois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Giuntoli</span> American actor

David Giuntoli is an American actor. He portrayed Det. Nick Burkhardt in the NBC supernatural drama Grimm, and has appeared in films such as 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016) and Buddymoon (2016). He currently portrays Eddie Saville on the television series A Million Little Things.

<i>Whatever Works</i> 2009 film by Woody Allen

Whatever Works is a 2009 American comedy film directed and written by Woody Allen and starring Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson, Ed Begley Jr., Michael McKean, and Henry Cavill. It was released on June 19, 2009, received mixed reviews and grossed $35 million.

<i>The Karate Kid</i> (2010 film) 2010 film directed by Harald Zwart

The Karate Kid is a 2010 martial arts drama film directed by Harald Zwart, and part of The Karate Kid series. It stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan in lead roles, and it was produced by Jerry Weintraub, James Lassiter, Ken Stovitz, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. This film does not take place in the same fictional universe as the four previous Karate Kid films, but is instead a remake of the original 1984 film with the setting moved to China, and the martial art changed from karate to kung fu.

Mr Chow is a series of upscale Chinese restaurants founded by British-Chinese restaurateur Michael Chow. There are locations in London, New York, Beverly Hills, Miami, and Las Vegas.

<i>Dog Pound</i> (film) 2010 film by Kim Chapiron

Dog Pound is a 2010 Canadian psychological thriller film directed and co-written by Kim Chapiron. It is a Canadian remake of the British borstal film, Scum. This is Chapiron's only film to go direct-to-video.

<i>The Queen of Versailles</i> 2012 American film

The Queen of Versailles is a 2012 American documentary film by Lauren Greenfield. The film depicts Jackie Siegel and David Siegel, owners of Westgate Resorts, and their family as they build their private residence – Versailles, one of the largest and most expensive single-family houses in the United States – and the crisis they face as the US economy declines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Christian Clark</span> American film director

Adam Christian Clark is an American film director, screenwriter, and editor, who is best known for combining naturalistic techniques in performance and dialog with stylized cinematic devices in editing and camerawork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candescent Films</span>

Candescent Films is an American film production company that produces and finances documentary and narrative films that explore social issues.

<i>Sleeping with Other People</i> 2015 film by Leslye Headland

Sleeping with Other People is a 2015 American romantic comedy film directed and written by Leslye Headland. The film stars Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie, Natasha Lyonne, Amanda Peet, and Adam Scott. Premiering at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2015, the film was released theatrically on September 11, 2015, by IFC Films. Sleeping with Other People received generally positive reviews from critics.

<i>The Miseducation of Cameron Post</i> (film) 2018 film by Desiree Akhavan

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a 2018 coming-of-age drama film directed by Desiree Akhavan and written by Akhavan and Cecilia Frugiuele, based on the 2012 novel by Emily M. Danforth. It stars Chloë Grace Moretz, John Gallagher Jr., Sasha Lane, Forrest Goodluck, Marin Ireland, Owen Campbell, Kerry Butler, Quinn Shephard, Emily Skeggs, Melanie Ehrlich, and Jennifer Ehle. Moretz plays a teenager sent to a gay conversion therapy centre. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2018. It was released in the United States on August 3, 2018, by FilmRise, and United Kingdom on September 7, 2018, by Vertigo Releasing. It received positive reviews and has grossed $2 million globally.

<i>Flower</i> (film) 2017 film by

Flower is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Max Winkler, from a screenplay by Alex McAulay, Winkler, and Matt Spicer. It stars Zoey Deutch, Kathryn Hahn, Tim Heidecker, Adam Scott, Joey Morgan, and Dylan Gelula.

<i>The Endless</i> (film) 2017 film by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead

The Endless is a 2017 American science fiction horror drama film directed, produced by and starring Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Benson also wrote the film, while Moorhead was the cinematographer; both also acted as editors. It premiered on April 21, 2017 at the Tribeca Film Festival, before being released nationwide on April 6, 2018.

<i>Causeway</i> (film) 2022 film by Lila Neugebauer

Causeway is a 2022 American drama film directed by Lila Neugebauer in her feature directorial debut and written by Ottessa Moshfegh, Luke Goebel, and Elizabeth Sanders. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Brian Tyree Henry, Linda Emond, Jayne Houdyshell, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Russell Harvard. It follows a soldier struggling to adjust to her life after returning home to New Orleans.

<i>Home Team</i> (2022 film) 2022 American film by Charles and Daniel Kinnane

Home Team is a 2022 American biographical sports comedy film directed by Charles and Daniel Kinnane, written by Chris Titone and Keith Blum, and starring Kevin James in the lead role, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider, Jackie Sandler, and Tait Blum. Inspired by actual events, the film tells the story of New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton who coached his 12-year-old son's football team during his one-year suspension from the NFL.

References

  1. DeFore, John (April 23, 2012). "Caroline and Jackie: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . The Hollywood Reporter.
  2. 1 2 Anderson, John (Apr 23, 2012). "Caroline and Jackie". Variety .
  3. 1 2 3 Erbland, Kate (April 24, 2012). "Tribeca 2012 Reviews: 'Headshot,' 'Caroline and Jackie,' and 'Double or Nothing'". Film School Rejects .
  4. 1 2 "Caroline and Jackie". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 2012-10-05.
  5. Gates, Anita (May 2, 2013). "An Intervention That Goes Awry 'Caroline and Jackie,' Directed by Adam Christian Clark". The New York Times .
  6. "TRIBECA 2012: Critic's Notebook #1 review". April 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 13, 2012.
  7. Siegel, Miranda. "Tribeca 9". New York Magazine . Retrieved April 20, 2012.
  8. "Caroline and Jackie". April 23, 2012.
  9. "Caroline and Jackie". Metacritic .
  10. IMDB Soundtrack Listing