Sometimes a film just needs time to find its audience. When Dinner in America premiered at Sundance, much of the attention centered on Kyle Gallner. Already a familiar face to horror fans thanks to Jennifer’s Body, Smile, and Scream (2022), Gallner’s performance revealed a new side of his range and helped cement him as one of indie cinema’s most compelling leads. His co-star Emily Skeggs, then best known for The Miseducation of Cameron Post and her Tony-nominated turn in Fun Home, delivered a breakout performance alongside him.

Despite critical acclaim and even John Waters naming it one of his favorite films of 2022 director Adam Carter Rehmeier had to self-release the film that year. It wasn’t until 2024, when Dinner in America gained a cult following on TikTok, that it earned a second theatrical run.

Now, five years after that collaboration, Gallner and Rehmeier are back together for Carolina Caroline. This time, Gallner once again takes center stage, joined by the equally magnetic Samara Weaving.

At first glance, the film immediately recalls Bonnie and Clyde, The Grifters, and Badlands. I would even argue there’s a touch of Jean-Luc Godard’s Made in U.S.A. in its stylistic choices. If the red, white, and blue title card didn’t already make it clear, this is a film about the American Dream or at least its darker undercurrents. The story itself feels archetypal: a whirlwind romance we’ve seen before, and one where we can probably predict the outcome. On paper, the plot may even read as generic. But what elevates it is the strength of the performances.

Samara Weaving’s Caroline is introduced with a quick backstory before being swept off her feet at a Texas gas station by Oliver, played by Gallner, a conman who is both charmingly debonair and unapologetically honest about who he is. At first, she may seem like the classic naïve runaway, but Weaving makes it clear early on that Caroline is no “dumb blonde.” She’s sharp in her own way, capable of reading situations and adapting quickly. Over the course of the film she even picks up Oliver’s tricks of the trade, learning the con game for herself. This intelligence and self-awareness make her a true partner in crime rather than a passive love interest.

Oliver’s motives as a conman and bank robber are laid out with such conviction that, while we may not agree with him, we understand his logic. Rehmeier ensures the characters are carefully written, never skimping on detail, and the chemistry between Gallner and Weaving is undeniable.

The supporting cast is small but memorable. Jon Gries plays Caroline’s father, a quieter role compared to his turn in The White Lotus (perhaps a nod to his past as a conman there), and Kyra Sedgwick appears in a phenomenal one-scene performance as Caroline’s alcoholic mother, whose influence sets her daughter’s journey in motion.

Whether Carolina Caroline becomes a box office success will likely depend on distribution, as the film currently lacks a distributor. But one thing is certain: Rehmeier knows how to craft characters and with actors like Gallner and Weaving at the center, even a story built on familiar bones feels vibrant, alive, and worth watching.

All images via Magnolia Pictures.

Directed by Adam Carter Rehmeier
Screenplay by Tom Dean
Produced by Trevor White, Eric B. Fleischman, Stephen Braun, Chris Ward, Chris Abernathy, Tim White
Starring Samara Weaving, Kyle Gallner, Jon Gries, Kyra Sedgwick
Premiere Date: September 5, 2025 (TIFF)
Running Time: 105 minutes

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Jaime Rebanal