Movie Review: Carissa
One-liner: An authentic, beautifully photographed, well-acted and wistful coming-of-age drama turned social commentary.
Carissa is a coming-of-age drama about a young woman navigating the difficulties of growing up in a small Cedarberg community. She grapples with the hardships and social issues of her small-town existence, ultimately trying to break free from her grandmother’s home by escaping to the solace of her grandfather’s mountain rooibos plantation.
This feature film debut from writer-director team Devon Delmar and Jason Jacobs has a documentary realism that unpacks the layers of this South African community through a family nucleus, golf estate development, and employment opportunities. The film is beautifully shot in an unconventional aspect ratio with a fixed view, creating a series of moving photographs that capture artistic and poetic moments. These are further enhanced by naturalistic performances, particularly a solid lead from Gretchen Ramsden.
Delmar and Jacobs create an authentic and lived experience for Carissa as she finds her place in the world, disillusioned by her circumstances and finding escapism in her smartphone. She drifts away from the responsibilities life throws her way, showing a defiant streak as she essentially bucks the system and tries to run away from everything.
The documentary style keeps things grounded and immersive, while the artistic eye and cinematic aesthetics give it an observational and lyrical feel. As a slice-of-life drama with kitchen-sink social realism, these two competing elements create a curious tension. The photographic journalism underscores this character portrait, making the film both a compelling character study and a snapshot of a South African community. It captures the nuances of the culture through Carissa‘s eyes, with elegant moments from rustic buildings to natural vistas.
“Head in the clouds, nowhere to go.”
While Carissa is a beautiful film to look at with an in-depth social commentary, the moving photograph imagery can create some distance. The actors and community anchor this modest drama with earnest, salt-of-the-earth performances, while the filmmakers create some masterful cinematic moments.
This is a resourceful, delicate, and thoughtful drama that operates with subtlety. While the artistic and wistful film has deep roots, showing a home-grown spirit and sensitivity toward social issues, the nimble storytelling can sometimes feel disconnected. The dialogue seems improvised, and some of the narrative dots don’t always connect. Then, shots vary enough to be distracting, and most of the characters operate at a cool distance, which makes it difficult to access their inner worlds.
So while the aesthetic appeal, introspective social exploration and authenticity are high, the storytelling can be discordant. The characters feel distant, and the dialogue, while spontaneous and realistic, doesn’t always create a cohesive film experience. As immersive as the realistic portrayal is, it lacks enough points of identification to truly align with the lead character and find emotional resonance.
Carissa is a strong effort with much to admire. It has some powerful moments and offers a brilliant understanding of the intricacies of this singular community. Ultimately, however, it remains too distant to form an emotional connection with the lead. This communal warmth paired with a cool distance pulls in opposite directions, making Carissa an authentic, fly-on-the-wall chronicle of a young South African girl’s growing pains and alienation as she struggles to make sense of her place in the world.
The bottom line: Poetic
