Sissy was born for the part. The innocence she brings gives the character layers and makes you feel sorry for her

I thought it was a little hard to believe that a girl could get to that age in the mid 1970s and not know about menstruation, despite having an unbelievably whacky mom.
But Sissy played Carrie as so innocent and socially backward, almost retarded, that I thought it was possible.

Her crazy mom looked like she was having an orgasm when she was stabbed by all those knives, which was weird, but then that lady was pretty weird to begin with.

I wondered why Carrie couldn't sense who was on her side, why she burned them all together, good and bad. The only girl who escaped was the friend of hers who was thrown out. That was good, but most of the others didn't deserve to die.

After Carrie killed her mom she cried over her. I bet the audience thought "why are you freaking out over her?". But abused kids sometimes love their folks anyway.

Yeah, Spacek was great as socially alienated and shy and her shift towards coming out of her shell was so well done. The whole telekenisis staring stuff I'll give her a pass on as I'm not sure what an actor is meant to do with that material (might have been played better as if Carrie had no control over it, or was horrified). Overall an excellent performance in a very good film (a point off for the Psycho music, the completely OTT mother and the telekenisis).

7/10

@write2topcat said:

I thought it was a little hard to believe that a girl could get to that age in the mid 1970s and not know about menstruation, despite having an unbelievably whacky mom.
But Sissy played Carrie as so innocent and socially backward, almost retarded, that I thought it was possible.

Her crazy mom looked like she was having an orgasm when she was stabbed by all those knives, which was weird, but then that lady was pretty weird to begin with.

I wondered why Carrie couldn't sense who was on her side, why she burned them all together, good and bad. The only girl who escaped was the friend of hers who was thrown out. That was good, but most of the others didn't deserve to die.

After Carrie killed her mom she cried over her. I bet the audience thought "why are you freaking out over her?". But abused kids sometimes love their folks anyway.

When people learn about such things is anyone's guess. No internet back in real life then outside for govt.