The Weinstein Company goes “too hot for TV” to help sell Carol

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

You’ve really got to hand it to those Weinsteins. They will do whatever it takes in order to drum up attentions for their movies in order to get more people to pay money to see them… and the latest motion picture to get their extra special touch is CAROL. 

Now CAROL has been in theaters for a little while now, building a solid fan base for itself but hardly setting the world on fire at the box office. The Weinstein Company was hoping for a Best Picture nod at the Oscars for the film, as that most likely would have meant more business from those who want to be in the know as to what the Academy likes in any given year. They had to settle for six Oscar nominations – two in the acting categories (Cate Blanchett for Best Actress and Rooney Mara for Best Supporting Actress) – which would be fine for anyone else, but that doesn’t exactly equal ticket receipts for the Weinsteins. As a result, they’ve taken to going in a new direction to market CAROL to the public, using sex and controversy to their advantage in order to get people noticing, talking and hopefully seeing. 

Today The Weinstein Company has sent around a new TV spot for the film, claiming ABC rejected it for their airwaves unless more coverage could be provided for both Blanchett and Mara. Of course they made it a point to include some erotic shots of a lesbian sex scene between the two actresses in various states of undress, so it’s no surprise ABC said no. However, it’s hard not to look at a commercial like this and see right through the Weinsteins’ plan – to cut a spot that would for sure get rejected so they could then sell it as some sort of taboo affair. 

The strange part to this approach is that CAROL is hardly the type of movie they’re trying to sell here. While extremely good, it isn’t the hot and steamy sex romp they’d like you to believe it is in order to get you buying a ticket to see it. 

But whatever puts asses in the seats, right?

Did I just give them the attention they desperately wanted? Yes. At least we can now all say we know exactly what their intentions were though.