Movie Summary: Carol, a typical upper middle-class housewife, begins to complain of vague symptoms of illness. She “doesn’t feel right,” has unexplained headaches, congestion, a dry cough, nosebleeds, vomiting, and trouble breathing. Her family doctor treats her concerns dismissively and suggests a psychiatrist. Eventually, an allergist tells her that she has Environmental Illness.
Queer Film LA Says: This breakout 1995 film from Queer auteur Todd Haynes (and the first of many collaborations with Julianne Moore) draws inevitable parallels to the AIDS epidemic in its portrayal of a suburban housewife stricken with a mysterious illness, and who is drawn to outlandish cures.