Quick Review: Carrie (2013)

CARRIE (2013)

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
OCTOBER 19, 2013

Kimberly Peirce’s “Carrie” is self-indulgent from the moment you step in, playing to an audience that has already experienced the Stephen King novel and knows the ins and outs. Even the trailer suggests this, giving away the ending in a matter of two and a half minutes. As Carrie White (Chloe Moretz) discovers her telekinetic power right along with hitting puberty, Peirce’s version takes a much more modern approach, trading the nudity and torment for pure public ridicule and bullying. The problem with most of these performances is that they all feel “in” on the joke. They know they’re apart of a remake, not breathing new life but merely playing the parts already set out in front of them. That is, except for Chloe Grace Moretz’s performance as Carrie.

Chloe’s performance starts very stiff and becomes calculated. A perfect example of the woman she has become and displaying beauty and talent she has not yet reached in her roles previous to this. Yes, she gets drenched in blood on prom night, and, yes, this comes off as more of a graphic novel depiction than a heightened horror film for the season. “Carrie” meets the average standards for fare like this. With Julianna Moore delivering a sub-par performance and the mean girls, played by Gabriella Wilde and Portia Doubleday, who are a sight for sore eyes, the film stands on its own, feeling unneeded but, at the very least, well-produced.