I’m weary of well-meaning heterosexual reviewers praising Carol by saying things like “…but ultimately this isn’t a film about lesbianism, it’s about love/obsession/beauty/train sets etc.”
No, it is about lesbians. It is.
You see this in responses to queer films, books etc which are too prominent and high quality to ignore. “It’s a good film, go and see it - it’s not really about gays.”
Carol is a love story between two women, based on a novel by a lesbian, read by thousands of lesbians, made into a film now being devoured by lesbians and other queer viewers.
These facts do not limit the film. They make it excellent.