Movie Review: ‘Carmen’

Review by James Lindorf

Valerie Buhagiar began her acting career in the late ’80s with classic Canadian films like “Roadkill” and “Highway 61.” She started directing shorts and music videos in the early ’90s but didn’t tackle a feature film (The Anniversary) until 2014. Now she is back with her third feature film, “Carmen,” the story of a woman finding herself and her place in the world. Good Deed Entertainment brought the film to theaters in major cities around the US and all major VOD platforms on September 23rd.

British actress Natascha McElhone stars as the titular Carmen, who has been living a life of servitude for over 30 years. Carmen lives in a small village on the Mediterranean island of Malta. There it is tradition for the younger sister to devote her life to the church when an older brother enters the priesthood. Assistant to her brother was Carmen’s entire identity from the age of 16 until her brother passed away after she turned 50. His death left the town in need of a priest, and even though it is the 1980s, a new sister, leaving no place for Carmen at the church. Jobless, homeless, and without employable skills, but a case of mistaken identity sends Carmen down a path to experience the joys and horrors of a life outside the church’s walls.

Filming on location in Malta made “Carmen” a perfect ad for travel agents and hundreds of frames that could become the postcard you send back to your family. Carmen’s journey takes her through the quaint village to the countryside and the sea, making every scene a worthy addition to any cinematographer’s reel. Accompanying the visuals is Natascha McElhone’s marvelous performance. She owns the screen in every moment of Carmen’s evolution. She transforms from a meek woman beaten down by the patriarchy to a shining example of how following your heart and doing what you know is right despite what society demands can be best for you and those who cross your path.

The story of “Carmen” lacks surprises and, at times, is a bit cheesy or caught up in the past, but it never fails to be charming. It is a light-hearted tale that goes down easy that wouldn’t leave much of an impression if it wasn’t for McElhone. Her performance will get people to tell their friends about “Carmen” and should allow it to be quite successful with home viewing. “Carmen” is a light recommendation with a score of 3.5 out of 5 and should be added to your must-watch list if you try to see all the best performances each year.

Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Director: Valerie Buhagiar
Producer: Coral Aiken, Pierre Ellul, Anika Psaila Savona
Writer: Valerie Buhagiar
Release Date: September 23rd, 2022
Runtime: 1h 28m