Carried Away (1996)

Carried Away (1996). Carried Away: Directed by Bruno Barreto. With Dennis Hopper, Amy Irving, Amy Locane, Julie Harris. Joseph Svenden is a middle-aged school-teacher who lives on a farm with his dying mother. In his simple life there are no excitements, even in long-time relationship with a widow. However, when seventeen-year-old beauty enrolls in his class, Joseph would soon end up in her arms. After that, Joseph is torn between the passion and feeling that he is doing something wrong.

“Sometimes itu0026#39;s completely incomprehensible to understand how u0026quot;Carried Awayu0026quot;, the excellent film by Brazilian director Bruno Barreto, is perceived by some of the contributors to this forum. u0026quot;Carried Awayu0026quot; is a movie based on a novella by Jim Harrison with a fine screenplay by Ed Jones, who does a fine job in adapting it for the viewer. Mr. Barreto is not a timid man, as he has shown in his other films. While most people object to the graphic nudity, it is never in oneu0026#39;s face, or something that is done for shock value, like some other directors tend to do whenever they donu0026#39;t have anything better to say.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe story about a sensitive man who has been left somewhat crippled after a childhood accident in the farm where he lives, presents us a man in turmoil. His life, while not completely shattered, is in total disarray as one meets him, years after he suffered the foot injury. Joseph Svenden is basically a decent man. We watch him in the rural school where he teaches, and later on, working in the farm where he lives with his older mother. Joseph is clearly a man whose life has passed him by because since he never married, he has stayed behind with the mother, while his siblings are all settled and living away.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eJoseph is seeing Rosalee, another teacher from his school. They have a cozy arrangement. Neither of them is in a rush to formalize their relationship. At this point of his life, Joseph falls for one of his students, Catherine, who obviously is way ahead of him in being sexually active. She seduces the quiet man, who falls head over heels with this young woman, who comes from an unhappy home. In fact, we have no clue until almost the end, when Catherineu0026#39;s parents come to confront Joseph, whatu0026#39;s wrong with the young woman.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe kind Rosalee finds out in the worst way about Josephu0026#39;s infidelity, sending her into despair because she loves the man. Joseph confronts Rosalee and owns up to his transgression. Josephu0026#39;s feelings for Rosale make him finally see where his priorities ought to be. The last sequence of Joseph and Rosalee at the beach has to be one of the loveliest moments in the film.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDennis Hopper plays Joseph to perfection. Mr. Hopper is believable in his low key approach to the role. He is an actor who works well with any director, and it seems to us he is responding well to Mr. Barretou0026#39;s guidance. Amy Irving, an actress of great beauty and inner power, shows a Rosalee that shows no emotion at all, but we know all is well under control inside her, until the explosion at the end when she feels betrayed by the man she loves. Ms. Irving does excellent work in the film. Amy Locane, plays Catherine as a brat who wants to get what she wants, when she wants it. Mr. Locane is a beautiful sight on the screen. The rest of the cast, Hal Halbrook, Julie Harris, Gary Busey, and the rest, are seen at their best.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThanks to Bruno Barreto for bringing this lovely character study to the screen.”