"Think about just a few of the movies that have won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance over the years: "Blood Simple," "The Brothers McMullen," "Welcome to the Dollhouse," "American Splendor," "Frozen River," "Winter's Bone," "Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Whiplash," and "Minari." As the final Sundance in Park City gets off the ground for 2026, the question is if this year's winner will find its place in history like those films clearly did."
"The better of the two is Rachel Lambert's "Carousel," a story of old flames who reunite in the shadow of tumultuous times in their lives. Noah ( Chris Pine) is still struggling through the ripple effects of divorce, waves that have turned his daughter Rebecca ( Abby Ryder Fortson) into a ball of anxiety. In the opening scene, Rebecca has a mini-panic attack when she leaves homework in the kitchen instead of bringing it to school, setting up the idea"
"Noah seems a bit adrift himself, not only because of the divorce but because his business partner Sam (Sam Waterston) is retiring, leaving the family medical practice in danger of dissolving. Into this stressful time drops Rebecca ( Jenny Slate), an old love from high school and beyond that has been estranged from Noah for what seems like years. She's come home to Ohio from her high-powered DC job to help her parents (Jeffrey DeMunn & Jessica Harper)"
Sundance Grand Jury Prize winners have included early independent breakthroughs such as Blood Simple, The Brothers McMullen, Welcome to the Dollhouse, American Splendor, Frozen River, Winter's Bone, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Whiplash, and Minari. The 2026 Sundance in Park City raises the question of whether a new winner will achieve similar lasting impact. Rachel Lambert's Carousel centers on Noah, a divorced physician, and his anxious daughter Rebecca as an old high-school love returns from DC. Noah faces practice instability after his partner's retirement while Rebecca's return forces past choices to resurface. The film contains notable performances but lacks the transformative juice of Sundance classics.
Read at Roger Ebert
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