Director Mike Nichols was a visual storytelling master. Carnal Knowledge is no easy watch in terms of heavy story content, and/but it is so well made. Nichols has a list of visual grammar and metaphor tools, but my favorite in Carnal might be a simple push in cut to a simple pull out. Written by Jules Feiffer.
What is the story about? Romance, heart, sex, hearts breaking, etc. Friendship is in there.
In this particular scene we have one character dancing with a girl, then we cut to another character (his friend) dancing with the same girl.
It's the way it's shot though that makes it so hard, so ruthless, so visceral. It's the story of a love triangle.
At start we are across a room watching the couple dance, and we get lulled into a normalcy of losing sight of them for moments in the crowd, no big deal, but once Nichols makes this variation of a match cut, and changes friends, we see it--an exact replacement, this isn't something new, this isn't a scene with coverage, showing others with them, group innocence. This is Friend #1 being erased, exactly covered over visually by Friend #2.
We are experiencing it the exact same way in the exact next moment. The only difference between the shots is, do we move in/closer with excitement enjoyment increased anticipation of this love, this romance, or are we pulling back, exhaling with realization that our "friend" is now dancing with "our" girl.
The shock is hightened by the exact same lighting, angle, etc. She's wearing the same shirt, has the same hair. The only change is Friend #1 becomes Friend #2.
Story point visually communicated. And done so simply.
Be well.