Carla's Song (1996)
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86% of critics liked it
(7 reviews) -
74% of users liked it
(2,265 ratings)
British filmmaker Ken Loach blended a love story with strong political commentary in this powerful drama. George (Robert Carlyle) is a bus driver working in Glasgow who has a strong independent streak and has developed a serious crush on one of his regular passengers, a woman from Nicaragua named… More British filmmaker Ken Loach blended a love story with strong political commentary in this powerful drama. George (Robert Carlyle) is a bus driver working in Glasgow who has a strong independent streak and has developed a serious crush on one of his regular passengers, a woman from Nicaragua named Carla (Oyanka Cabezas). Carla occasionally is short of money for her fare, so George lets he ride for free; when his boss finds out about this, it's added to a list of small insubordinations, and George is fired. However, he stays in touch with Carla and learns she's a good bit more troubled than he imagined. She's given to dramatic mood swings and has attempted suicide, and in time he learns that her emotional problems stem from the disappearance and probable death of her boyfriend Antonio (Richard Loza), a Sandinista who is believed to have been kidnapped by the U.S.-backed Contra rebels. The largely apolitical George travels with Carla to Nicaragua to help her look for Antonio. In their travels, they meet Bradley (Scott Glenn), an American who was once a CIA "advisor" to the Contra who has turned his back on their policies and now works alongside the Sandinistas. Carla's Song was a gold medal winner at the 1997 Venice Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Ken Loach
- Written By
- Paul Laverty
- Genres
- Drama, Romance
- In Theaters
- Jun 26, 1998 Wide
- On DVD
- Apr 13, 1999
- Studio
- Shadow Distribution
Critic Reviews
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Stephen Carty, Flix Capacitor
A film of two contrasting halves, Carla's Song isn't among Ken Loach's best work.
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Maria Garcia, Film Journal International
An extraordinary illustration of the power of the cinematic art form.
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A striking and memorable film about the emotional firefights that flare up when the personal and the political are linked.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It really wasn't that bad of a film, it was just too flat and preachy.
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Cast
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Robert Carlyle
as George
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Scott Glenn
as Bradley
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Gary Lewis
as Sammy
- Oyanka Cabezas
- Salvador Espinoza
- Louise Goodall