Tags
2010's, Carnage, Christoph Waltz, Comedy, Drama, Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet, Roman Polanski
Film Title
Carnage
Director
Roman Polanski
Starring
- Jodie Foster as Penelope Longstreet
- Kate Winslet as Nancy Cowen
- Christoph Waltz as Alan Cowen
- John C. Reilly as Michael Longstreet
Based on the acclaimed play, Carnage is a darkly funny examination of a meeting between two middle class couples to smooth over a skirmish between their sons that turns into something quite different. As directed under Roman Polanski’s acute eye for body language and the power of words, Carnage is sharp, funny and dramatic viewing.
Penelope and Michael Longstreet invite Nancy and Alan Cowen over to their high-rise New York condo to discuss an altercation between their children. The Cowen’s son struck the Longstreet’s boy with a stick after an altercation, which resulted in a couple of broken teeth and a swollen face. Initially the meeting between the couples is cordial, but it soon begins to take on another form. As the couples begin to take sides on the issue of their kids, verbal assaults are thrown about and the mask of civility melts away into an extended slanging match on the differing viewpoints of class, ideals and morals emerges from this supposedly diplomatic situation. In the end, the meeting is nothing to do with the two boys, but the regression of their parents into anarchy at being in such a claustrophobic setting. Prepare for acerbic one liners, verbal jousting and fine performances from the four members of the cast in Polanski’s comedic chamber drama of niceties being dispensed with and the true self burrowing its way to the top in an argument.
The first thing to notice in Polanski’s movie is the limited but highly effective setting of the Longstreet’s condo. Polanski examines the humorous side to these middle class character’s insular surrounding with a certain amount of tension, which he is more than adept because of his work in Repulsion and Rosemary’s Baby. The condo seems to take on a life of its own and becomes almost prison like as we watch the Cowen’s attempt to leave but being halted at every opportunity. Polanski who also co-wrote the screenplay succeeds in bringing the acerbic wit to the screen with comedic and equally dramatic moments popularising this supposedly civil meeting between mature adults that descends into shouting and screaming. Roman Polanski manages to direct at a steady pace as the mask of diplomacy begins to slip and it really is amazing how he keeps us interested with such a short running time.
The biggest asset belonging to Carnage is the four main actors involved who all put in excellent work. Jodie Foster flat-out nails the role of Penelope Longstreet, a prissy woman obsessed with manners whilst being something of a snob. Her highly strung tendencies as a character really add to the comedic side of the film. Kate Winslet lets loose with her role as Nancy, the demure trophy wife whose escalating frustrations combined with too much booze lead her to extreme situations. Christoph Waltz gets some of the best lines as the ruthlessly suave and chauvinistic Alan, a lawyer constantly attached to his phone more than his wife’s pleas to leave. It is Alan who is the only character to see the absurdity of the meeting and the fact that no resolution will come of it. John C. Reilly adds humour but an underlying rage as Michael, who at first tries to calm the situation but later becomes a key instigator in stoking the flames of the already heated situations.
Making effective use of the limited setting, waspish dialogue and four great performances, Polanski’s Carnage in short is a barbed, dramatic and darkly funny account of civilised people descending into chaos.
Nice review. I seem to recall I liked this one, it is just very well done. I’m at the point now where I’d even happily watch Cristoph Waltz advertise toilet paper!
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Thanks for your comment, he is such a great actor.
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Waltz was amazing in this, for me his is by far the best performance of the film. It may sound strange of me to say this — but I even felt like he was channelling a bit of Woody Allen in his performance. It was comedic, yet subtle and nuanced. I’m not sure anyone else will see that in his performance, but that was my take on it.
Great review!
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Thanks for the comment, I loved how he was both funny and ruthless sometimes at the same time.
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I do have a soft spot for predominantly single-location films so I had an immediate liking to this one. It helps that the performances are so strong. It gets a recommendation from me!
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Thanks for your comment, I always find single location films interesting.
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I have a top 10 list devoted to them which you may be interested in: http://www.top10films.co.uk/archives/806
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Thanks for the link, I’ll definitely check it out.
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Nice one Vinnie. Glad to hear you liked this. I thought it was fantastic and the four leads played a big part in my enjoyment. If you haven’t seen Polanski’s Death and The Maiden you should check that out. It was also based on a stage play. It’s a lot darker than this but equally impressive.
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Appreciate your comments Mark. I’ll check out Death and the Maiden, Sigourney Weaver is in it, right?
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Yeah, that’s the one. Ben Kingsley as well. It’s been a long time since I watched it but I remember loving it. Very intense.
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Glad you liked it! I really admire movies like that – relying mostly on dialogue, small ensemble, but still so interesting. Waltz was my favorite out of the cast here.
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Thanks Sati, Waltz was the standout for me as well, he had some great lines.
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Loved this one… so entertaining and well performed.
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Thanks for the comment.
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Good review Vinnie. The transformation from the stage, to the screen, isn’t a very cohesive one as you can tell that a lot of this is contrived. However, the actors are more than capable of keeping our attentions away from that and just chewing right in to their performances.
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Thanks man. I always think a play is one of the hardest things to adapt to the screen.
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Good review but I felt differently. I walked out of the cinema disappointed with this one. I found it contrived and not all that funny or insightful about middle class mores and absurdities.
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Thanks for the comment, I understand where you’re coming from. I’ve heard many people say that they didn’t find any humour in it.
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Great review. Love this movie. The cast are all on top form and the adaptation is superb.
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Thanks for the comment, the cast really looked like they were enjoying themselves.
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They did. I bet it would have been a lot of fun to be a fly on the wall on that set!
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Totally agree with you, it would have been fun watching them.
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Excellent review, one of my favourites. By the way, the classy ‘prison’ (apartment) is actually in Paris, France. Polanski fears of being arrested if he touches US soil, thus had to film the movie in Paris, though the setting is NY.
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Thanks for the comment.
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Once and again Vennieh: Great review.
I watched this film few weeks ago. Waltz is an excellent actor and this character fit perfectly to him
I love Reilly. He looks like Columbo sometimes.
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Thanks for your praise.
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Good performances all round. This perfectly captures that awkward atmosphere when you’re with people with whom you have nothing in common and you’re trying so hard to be polite. I love it when it degenerates into all out screaming and arguing. It reminded me slightly of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
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I can definitely see that comparison. Particularly as events start out in a really civil way and then just descend into shock. Loved the barbed humour in it.
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Totally! I know that not everyone enjoyed this film, but I thought it was very funny and captured that awkward atmosphere so well.
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Plus, you got to see four fabulous actors really letting loose. If anything, that was the most entertaining part.
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