..and take it on its own. It's inevitable to think of Brian DePalma's original scarefest with the Oscar nominated Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie; but if we take this made for TV movie on its own merits and try not to compare it, we may find it's a pretty good movie. Angela Bettis is mesmerizing as Carrie White, the daughter of a religious fanatic, who made it rain rocks when she was born and also when she got angry as a child. We obviously know this little girl is something out of the ordinary. But Stephen King's CARRIE really focuses on the loneliness of being different; of being mocked because you aren't like everyone else; the joy of being accepted at a prom with the handsome hunk Tommy; and ultimately, the irony of revenge on everyone whether they deserved it or not. The production values for a TV movie are very good, even if some of the CGI effects look a little forced, but director David Carson gives us the portrait of a lonely girl who just wants to fit in, and whose retaliation on a sad bunch of spoiled brats is carried to the extreme. Patricia Clarkson's understated performance as Margaret White is just as chilling as the over the top fanaticism of Piper Laurie; Tobias Mehler is a likable and hunky Tommy; Rena Sofer brings a lot of punch to her role as the gym teacher; Katherine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps) is a bitchy Tina, and the young lady who plays Chris (didn't catch her name, but she's currently on the hit series LOST) is also effectively sinister. Kandyce McClure seems slightly out of place as Sue Snell, and I'm not sure the addition of the police investigation (led by the sturdy David Keith) is necessary. I also felt the ending paled in comparison to the original (Mama being impaled by knives in a mock effigy of the horrible crucifix she had). Seems like the writer wanted to shy away from doing the same ending, but didn't come up with one as memorable. All in all, though, Bettis is magnificent as Carrie, and Sissy Spacek should be proud of her.
Review of Carrie
