"Carnage" Review

"Carnage" is a rather unique film; a black comedy with four speaking parts that takes place entirely in one setting (two if you count the opening and closing credits). Directed by Roman Polanski and based on the play "God of Carnage" by Yasmina Reza (who also wrote the screen adaptation with Polanski), it's a very funny but very dark film.

The film is the story of two sets of parents, Penelope and Michael Longstreet (Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly), and Nancy and Alan Cowan (Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz). Following a playground altercation in which the Cowans' son Zachary hits the Longstreets' son Ethan with a stick, the four of them meet in the Longstreets' apartment to try and resolve issue. But their meeting quickly deteriorates as it becomes clear that while the playground act may have been one of childishness, the parents may actually have less maturity than their children.

The film is very funny and very dark as I mentioned, and there are lessons that can be taken from it. The acting is excellent and Reza and Polanski do an excellent job at making each of the four characters unique in their personalities so that their actions never feel redundant. Penelope and Michael are relentlessly affable, Nancy is a bit high strung, and Alan is the oddball of the bunch as he is constantly on his Blackberry and shows no interest in the proceedings...that is, until coffee, cobbler, and eventually scotch and cigars are offered. But as the film progresses, each character transforms, at various paces, until they all end up raving lunatics and the whole purpose of the meeting is forgotten. Each of the performances is excellent, with Foster probably standing out the most to me, and Winslet coming on strong with a series of drunken outbursts near the end. The only problem I would say I have with the film is that because it's so brief (a scant 79 minutes), it's hard to say how much has changed in these characters by the end. Also, because of its short duration, it ultimately ends up feeling a bit like a pleasant diversion rather than a fleshed out feature film. It's entertaining enough, but I don't know that I'd recommend a full-priced $10-11 ticket. See it at a matinee and you might feel like your money was better spent.

"Carnage" is rated R for language.
Running time: 79 minutes.
Released domestically on December 16, 2011, by Sony Pictures Classics.
2.5 stars out of 4.