Carnage

Plot synopsis:
When two grade-school boys get into a fight in the park that results in one boy, Zachary Cowan, hitting the other, Ethan Longstreet, in the face with a stick, their parents meet in a Brooklyn apartment to discuss the matter. Zachary's parents, Alan (Christoph Waltz) and Nancy Cowan (Kate Winslet), visit the home of Michael (John C. Reilly) and Penelope Longstreet (Jodie Foster), Ethan's parents. Their meeting is initially intended to be short, but due to various circumstances, the conversation continues to draw out. In fact, Alan and Nancy begin to leave the apartment on two occasions, but are drawn back in to further discussion.
At first, the couples are friendly to each other, but their respective comments start to hurt feelings, making everyone argue with one another. Apart from fighting among themselves, the couples blame each other about who is responsible for the fight between their sons. Nancy calls the Longstreets "superficially fair-minded" and Penelope and Michael complain about Alan's arrogant and dull attitude. Everyone also gets irritated with Alan when he accepts endless business phone calls on his BlackBerry, interrupting the discussion, and showing he has more interest in his business problems than the matter at hand. Michael also receives many phone calls from his ailing mother, to his frustration.
Nancy accuses Michael of being a murderer because he, annoyed by the constant noise it made during the night, had earlier turned his daughter Courtney's pet hamster loose in the street. Penelope becomes emotional about the hamster and with everyone arguing with each other. Other issues include a risky drug Alan is working to defend and Michael's mother has been prescribed, and the question of idealism and responsibility that is part of Penelope's current work.
Michael offers everyone a glass of fine scotch. Penelope claims she doesn't "get drunk" and Nancy drinks way too many and finally stops Alan's phone calls by dropping his cellphone in Penelope's flower vase full of tulips and water. Penelope and Nancy both laugh uproariously while Michael and Alan try to blow-dry the BlackBerry.
The conversation continues to decay into personal attacks and opinionated statements and, eventually, epithets are uttered. Penelope is ranting, calling Nancy's son a 'snitch', and Nancy's true colors are revealed when she destroys the tulips and drunkenly and vulgarly states she is glad that her son beat up Penelope's and Michael's son. The couples realize the conversation is going nowhere. Alan's BlackBerry, lying on the coffee table, vibrates, and all four stare at it.
The film cuts to the hamster, alive and well in the park, where Ethan and Zachary are reconciling on their own.

Tags: psychological, satire

Review:
That's the reason why I was very interested in watching Carnage, his most recent film; however, even though it ended up being an interesting experience, I didn't find it very memorable, and it's definitely very far from being among Polanski's best films.Even if it hadn't been mentioned during the initial credits, the fact that Carnage is based on a play would have been obvious.
Meanwhile, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz are brilliant as a wealthy, but accessible and casual couple.Even though it didn't leave me completely satisfied, I can bring a moderate recommendation to Carnage as a competent film with excellent performances and an interesting story..
Roman Polanski got his hands on some of the most talented actors like Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Walts and John C.Reilly.
This adaptation from the Broadway play, God of Carnage, is a soberer (by a little) version of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?Penelope (Jody Foster) and Michael (John C.
Reilly) host Nancy (Kate Winslet) and Alan (Christof Waltz) in their Brooklyn apartment to iron out difficulties coming from their sons' fight, which resulted in Penelope and Michael's son's mangled mouth.
Yes, it doesn't turn out well, nor would most confrontations except that the civil veneer usually stays intact for most of us.But when writers Yasmina Reza and Polanski allow the characters to speak their minds, albeit helped by Scotch, the drama gets good and the words become socially lethal.
Reilly, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz main seem like an unbalanced superficial casting to some for a low-key movie such as this, but what at first is expectedly unfit and useless is later realized and understood.From the opening of the film Roman Polanski uses the same intensity of 50's-60's suspense film openings such as 'Compulsion' to distract you from what is happening behind the credits to then lead you to the purpose of the film to the then the plot.
A starting such as this lets you know that you're in for the creative dramatically playful telling of Mr. Roman Polanski.The first few lines of the movie give way to the two head strong characters of the movie who battle it out later on, but before then the movie centers on the societal dealing with a schoolyard attack on the son of a seemingly liberal couple; Penelope and Michael (played by Jodie Foster and John C.
The first half of the movie displays the tight-rope courtesy of the two couples dealing with this unfortunate situation in Penelope and Michael's New York apartment, as little by little the faults of each parent comes out but is especially looked over for the sake of good re pore, which makes for a realistic look out on the stubborn idiosyncrasies of parents in general.
As the conservative couple Nancy and Allen are nothing without their accessories and as the liberal couple Penelope and Michael just want to be heard and taken seriously.What's great technically about 'Carnage' is Roman Polanski's eye and directing as he is aware of the subtleties and exaggerations of film and why they can go hand in hand.
Reilly naturally does great playing the friendly, caring Michael who as much as he is that, he's as well careless and Christoph Waltz plays his usual cocky self who has an answer to everything, which is accurate as the fierce attorney he portrays.Also written by Roman Polanski 'Carnage' has a lot of insight biased or not about men and women and society which makes it importantly realistic and in part shows view of the accurate thoughts of Roman Polanski.
And yet, it's so much better than any of the more ambitious films he made in recent years - The Ghost Writer, Oliver Twist, The Pianist and The Ninth Gate all having their merits, but none a real classic or any kind of a surprise.Not to say that Carnage is as good as 12 Angry Men or Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, masterpieces of minimalism and cinematic landmarks.
I never found it boring for a second - uncomfortable, yes, grating even, but never dull, I was completely drawn in by the wonderful performances of the leads - Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C.
While it's clearly a filmed play - and Polanski let the original text shine - he makes excellent use of the possibilities the film format allows, from the bombastic and melodramatic to the quiet and subtle, neither of which is possible on stage, at least not in the same way.Carnage isn't necessarily a masterpiece but it's a wonderful intellectual exercise and one of my favorite films of 2011.
The disintegration of these two pairs of parents is intrigued bit by bit with derision, insult and disdain, the initial wrangle of two flatly unfamiliar couples are reflecting everyone's customary procedure of dealing with strangers, the approach of eclipsing others in a restrained manner in order not to break a fragile bottom line "our face of respect", and once Nancy (Kate Winslet's character) has lost her face with a hilarious vomit to all the civil pretentiousness, the battle of matrimony, sex, social supremacy and civil wit is officially instigated, the carnage of verbal assaults prevails and within a compact 80 minutes, the dialogues are drolly sharp and incisive, wounds are acute without bleeding, The grand cast is beyond any accomplishment, Jodie Foster manifests her excellent curb in melodrama in many years though is a shade over-the-top during the end and Kate Winslet never mislead her devotees albeit being self-conscious in sundry scenes, Christoph Waltz fiendishly holds his introvert nature all the time while being socially authentic; arguably the weakest line, john C.
Carnage is a fantastic piece of art film where seemingly unimaginative plot of two pairs of parents hold a friendly meeting after their sons are involved in a fight, turns into a verbal brawl.
Roman Polanski's Carnage is without a shadow of a doubt the best black comedy I've seen since Bobcat Goldthwait's World's Greatest Dad. It's thin, but beyond commendable as it depicts two couples discussing the aftermath of what happened between their two children in an extravagant, beautiful Brooklyn (cough, cough Paris) condo.The victim here is Ethan (both boys only appear at the very beginning and the very end), who was hit in the mouth with a stick, removing his two front teeth by another kid his age.
At only seventy-nine minutes long and gridlocked into one standard setting, the slick writing manages to squeeze out humor, compassion, passive-aggressive behavior, and provide a social commentary on modern parenting all in one quick rapid-fire excursion.Despite all the personal attacks that come into play later in the film, neither couple seems like the villain.
The acting is all top notch with Foster playing  against type as the most unlikeable character of the bunch and Waltz  impressing yet again by delivering my favorite performance of the film.
The investment broker Nancy Cowan (Kate Winslet) and her husband, the lawyer Alan Cowan (Christoph Waltz) visit the aspirant writer Penelope Longstreet (Jodie Foster) and her husband, the salesman Michael Longstreet (John C.
Zachary Cowan (Elvis Polanski) hit his classmate Ethan Longstreet (Eliot Berger) on the face with a bat in a Brooklyn Park and the injured Ethan will probably miss two teeth.Nancy is a stressed woman; Alan is an annoying workaholic that is more interested in taking work calls using his new cell phone; Penelope is researching Africa and was the mentor of the meeting, based on her idealistic sense of justice; and Michael tries to accommodate the situation.
Along the discussion, they eat a cake and drink whiskey, and change their civilized behavior, revealing their real feelings about the situation in a clash of egos and war of the sexes."Carnage" is a theatrical dark comedy by Roman Polanski about the relationships of parents, sons and a hamster.
Perfect comedy for a movieholic!Where Jodie Foster's amazing acting and Christoph Waltz's witty dialogs are the center of this movie, you better watch out for Kate & Reilly!
Most of the action, as in the play, takes place in the spacious New York apartment of the Longstreets with much of the fun being the slow dissolve of the superior-minded one percent's resolve as they gradually become less civil and more savage to each other by the day's end.Yet, with all of Raza's witty remarks and ironic touches still on hand and the dialog zinging along, the film remains inert and not as entertaining as the play.
I wanted to watch Carnage because I usually like when Roman Polanski makes movies behind closed doors.
I's suggest that if you liked "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" that you'll love "Carnage." I saw it as a play performed by very talented actors and the movie seems to follow the script exactly.
Riley), who tries to be as accommodating as possible to retain civility in any situation; Nancy Cowan (Kate Winslet), a nervous and emotionally stressed woman; and Alan Cowan (Christoph Waltz), who is married more to his work as evidenced by the attachment he has to his cell phone and taking work calls at the most inopportune times.' The one room (except for a bathroom and hallway) setting becomes more claustrophobic as the film presses on, making the childhood misbehavior of the incident between the two boys pale in comparison to the ruthless adult conflagration that results.
Time being short, the film had to step on the gas in several places.In terms of dialogue and cast, not to mention great camera work, this film is as funny as it's characters are pretentious and phony (very).Performances were great although Jodie Foster (and John Reilly) best nailed the drunkenness (though to be fair Christoph Waltz' character was running on an empty stomach) by showing that people don't have to be fitshaced to say asinine things or take stands against things they would normally defend.Penelope's (Foster) veiny neck and extended jaw reminded me of a baby Alien as she spat and wept in her aloof loneliness.
"Carnage" is the latest film from director Roman Polanski, a film with a minimalistic plot - two sets of parents decide to meet after their sons get into a fight - that relies on a sharp script and actor power in order to tell a story.
"Carnage" reminded me of the times when you only needed some talented actors and a good script in order to make a good movie, there was no need for flashy special effects or over the top action scenes.If you liked films like "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?" or "Glengarry Glen Ross" where the actors and the story are the ones who really matter, you might want to give "Carnage" a try as well.
The whole movie is set in one apartment and has the feel of a stage play and it is backed up by four very good performances from Jodie Foster , Kate Winslet , John C Reilly and the impressive Christoph Waltz.It all about snobbery and how parents are over protective of their children.
Based on a stage play, CARNAGE shows two sets of parents (Jodie Foster, John C.
I feel otherwise because the reverse is true--it is easier to adapt stage-plays (to movies) than screenplays (to stage) because not all cinematic effects are replicable in theater.This film is a thoroughly enjoyable adaptation of Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage.
From the director of Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown & The Pianist, Carnage is a simple, small scale & lighthearted black comedy that stacks four interesting characters inside a single location and, with the help of its sharp wit & committed cast, demonstrates the entire futility of the situation where parents try to settle their children's fight by themselves.The story of Carnage follows two pairs of parents who, following an incident involving their sons, decide to meet each other and discuss the matter in a civilized manner.
Friendly & cordial at first, their discussion soon dives into endless snarks, squabbles & disagreements and as the day progresses, the issues of their personal lives eventually make it to the surface.Co-written & directed by Roman Polanski, the film is in perpetual motion throughout its 80 minutes runtime even when it is taking a breather, for the jibes just keep coming from one end or another.
Camera is employed like a silent observer that's solely focused on the biting conversations between two parties, and Editing provides a tightly-knitted structure to its 80 minutes narrative.Coming to the performances, Carnage features an outstanding cast in Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz & John C.
The tirade between Winslet & Foster, in particular, is a highlight to watch while the two men really try to keep their distance from the pointless argument until dragged into the mess by their respective missus.On an overall scale, Carnage is a delightful, delicious & devilish little comedy that's skilfully crafted & splendidly performed and delivers an extravaganza that's funny, smart & engaging from start to finish.
And they are only four characters: two American couples played by John C Reilly & Jodie Foster and (Austrian) Christoph Waltz and (British) Kate Winslet.
So, if you only like action movies, this is not for you.But where the film scores is with the cracking script, the fine acting and the shifting alliances: at first, the two couples trying to be co-operative in discussing a fight between their sons; then the couples taking sides in support of their respective off- spring; next each husband and wife in conflict with one another; eventually the men and women forming gender coalitions.
Based on Yasmina Reza's play God of Carnage, comes Carnage – a new film by ousted director Roman Polanski starring Jodi Foster, John C.
The film is set almost entirely in a New York apartment where parents Alan and Nancy Cowan (Waltz / Winslet) are meeting Michael and Penelope Longstreet (Reilly / Foster) to discuss a fight between their two pre-teen children which resulted in the Cowan child having two teeth knocked out after being whacked by a stick wielded by the Longstreet boy.The film opens with the two couples discussing verbiage changes to a document prepared by Penelope detailing the incident.
The parents Nancy (Kate Winslet) and Alan Cowan (Christoph Waltz) meet the overly friendly Penelope (Jodie Foster) and Michael Longstreet (John C.
Two pairs of parents, the Cowans (Christoph Waltz and Kate Winslet) and the Longstreets (John C Reilly and Jodie Foster) meet up to discuss an incident involving a tussle between their two sons.
The above line belongs to Christopher Waltz who is superb in his portrayal of the unpleasant and in many times even annoying, Alan Cowan who is visiting along with his wife, Nancy (Kate Winslet), the parents of a kid that got in a nasty fight with their 11-year old son, Zachary, which led to the serious injury of the one.
As the time passes, the arguments get more and more heated leading in a climax where all four characters of this theater play (written by Yasmina Reza), are literally screaming.This is an one room-set movie, directed by Roman Polanski, based solely in its great dialogue and the good performances by the small cast.
Jodie foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, and John C Reilly all bring their very best effort to this movie.
There's a lot of interest in what these people get into, even if I must admit that some of the movie's attempts at humor are unsuccessful, and maybe the childishness is played up a little too much at times.But this is Roman Polanski's show, and he does well at building tension between these couples, as well as building something of a claustrophobic feeling while inside this confined apartment for the 75 minute duration.
Two pairs of parents hold a cordial meeting after their sons are involved in a fight, though as their time together progresses, increasingly childish behavior throws the evening into chaos (plot).I haven't seen the play on stage but i know this is a movie with only four characters in a room, and they talk for about one hour or 70 min in this film, first thing i ask my self "is this a boring film?", but after i watch this film i change my opinion, for example when i saw "12 angry men" they shoot the film in one room with few actors but i didn't feel boring or stop the film to do something!, this film made by an great director Mr Roman Polanski (The Pianist, Chinatown) with great cast "Foster, Winslet, Waltz and C.
¨A new comedy of no manners.¨Roman Polanski is a great director, there is no denying his trajectory (Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown, The Pianist), and his latest film, The Ghost Writer, was amongst my favorite movies of last year, but Carnage was a bit of a disappointment for me.
Perhaps I was expecting more going into this movie considering Polanski was directing it and knowing it had a spectacular cast: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C.
'Carnage' is a play filmed by none less than Roman Polanski, although one assumes he personally didn't oversee the location-setting shots in Brooklyn, New York.
Carnage is a film that should have a lot of award buzz behind it, it is based on a critically acclaimed play, directed by awards and festival darling Roman Polanski and has a great cast.
Carnage (2011) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Roman Polanski directed and co-wrote the screenplay for this black comedy about two couples (Jodie Foster-John C.
A stage bound film almost completely enacted within the confines of a Manhattan apartment, although filmed on a set in France due to Director Roman Polanski's outstanding legal issue in the States.The film employs perhaps some of the finest actors working at present and commences almost at the end of a discussion already undertaken off screen.The young son of Nancy and Alan Cowan (Kate Winslet) and (Christoph Waltz) has after school, attacked and slightly injured the son of Penelope (Jodie Foster) and Michael Longstreet (John C Reilly).