A homemaker develops environmental disease despite the insularity of her upper-class life. Life should be wonderful for Carol White. As a "homemaker" in an upper-class American suburb, her beautiful home and lifestyle of leisure hold every promise of joy and contentment. But misfortune is in the air! She begins to feel ill from a polluted environment slowly encroaching upon her pristine domain. All the usual avenues of self-help, pop-psychology, religion, and special diets offer no salvation. A visit to a psychiatrist provides no answers and only points the questions back in her direction. The symptoms are getting worse! Her marriage soon becomes strained as the people around her begin to pose a threat to her health. With some new information, she discovers she may have environmental disease, a hyper-sensitivity to many chemicals and synthetic substances in modern life. Hoping to find answers within the confines of an isolated therapeutic community, she finds herself in a continually shrinking world. The buildings where she reside also become smaller. The community soon proves more cultist than therapeutic. Nevertheless, this is the end of the line for the homemaker. With oxygen tank in hand she enters the final part of her journey and comes face to face with the most frightening task of her life. Julianne Moore creates a frightening visage of the attractive suburbanite slowly transforming into the frail shell of a woman losing control of her health and self-assurance. The scenes and dialogue are subdued, supporting the quiet death that this woman is experiencing. The soundtrack, with its minimal composition, sets a disturbing mood of anticipation and emptiness. Visually exemplifying her crisis, the camera shows her spacious living room but literally boxes her into a door frame. A scene in the gym has her leaning into a locker, one of many rectangle and square objects lurking ominously behind or around her. Along with documenting environmental disease in a serious manner, the film speaks volumes about the uncertainty of modern life. We have yoga, meditation, Deepak Chopra, but all this may only lend a temporary feeling of safety from life's changes and troubles. The toxic environment is of real concern, but the skewed relationships and social isolation of our world may be more corrupting to our physical and social systems. If one is self-aware one is most conscious of how his/her actions will impact on others and their environment. Lack of this is usually the culprit of wastefulness and careless disposal, especially on a national level. Carol White has taken on the big fight. Maybe she is paving the way for the rest of us. Film written and directed by Todd Haynes, starring Julianne Moore, camera Alex Nepomniaschy, music composed and performed by Ed Tomney . Top of Page | Table of Contents | Home Page This web page and entire website ©
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