I didn't feel any...

I'm kinda shocked you gave it an 8/10 after all that, but maybe your idea of an 8/10 is way different to mine.

Anyway: I think the general defence is that Carol and Therese can't be very overtly emotional with each-other in public because their love is considered taboo, and may have trouble expressing their love when alone due to society's pressure on them. Although Therese is a very introverted character anyway (her love for Carol is expressed more through the style of the movie, shown mainly through her perspective, than it is through her actual actions).

But I say this as someone who has trouble picking up on any chemistry at all in most of the on-screen romances I've watched, and at least Carol has a justification for it. Although, I'm not entirely sure why Carol has this criticism thrown at it so much compared to so many other romances - I mean, I don't think I've ever heard a single person criticise the lack of romantic/sexual chemistry between Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation, for example (I like LiT though, don't get me wrong).

This was my reaction as well. I think that there are a few big reasons for this. The first is the class difference between the two women. It left me wondering what on earth they would have to talk about. Also, there is the fact that Carol is a mother while Therese is not. These two things together make their lives so entirely different that it isn't likely they would be able to bond over many common experiences; that's why that dialogue isn't there. They don't share any obvious common interests at all. They don't have a shared vision for a future they both want. Neither of them had a whole lot to offer the other in terms of friends or activities. That pretty much leaves sexual/physical attraction to feed the entire relationship. I have a hard time buying that.

For me to feel like I want a character to live "happily ever after" with someone else, I want the feeling that I can picture their future together, imagine how they will spend their time and what they will be missing if they don't end up with that person. I just didn't feel that with this film. Ironically, I felt like Therese had better chemistry with almost all of the male characters in the film because they had things to joke about or talk about together and a lot of common interests.

With that said, I really enjoyed the costumes and cinematography.

Wow. I felt desire bubbling under the surface constantly in the film.

That said--It is a huge risk for one human being to put themselves out there with another one, to express attraction or affection or romantic feeling. There is a vulnerability, always, in stating that what one wishes is more than friendship and companionship. I can only imagine that it is even more challenging--even dangerous--to do so with someone of the same gender, particularly in a time when it was illegal to have that sort of relationship. So so much of this film is about that tension, that tipping point. I loved it.

I disagree about the chemistry. I thought that the chemistry was very well conveyed and very believable. However, I also felt that the characters were flat. See my comment in the thread, "A beautiful film, but..."

I did feel it from the very beginning.

I did feel it from the very beginning.