{"id":1809,"date":"2012-02-02T12:39:54","date_gmt":"2012-02-02T12:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/?p=1809"},"modified":"2012-02-02T14:05:03","modified_gmt":"2012-02-02T14:05:03","slug":"carnage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmgaze.com\/blog\/comedy\/carnage\/","title":{"rendered":"LFF 2011: Carnage *****"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Tried and tested on stage from Paris to London to Broadway, New York, Yasmina Reza<\/a>\u2019s successful play God of Carnage<\/em> was always going to present a challenge being adapted for film by the playwright herself. However, the key to the story \u2013 shortened to Carnage<\/em> \u2013 is the power of the acting talent assigned to play the parents; director Roman Polanski<\/a>\u2019s excellent casting of Jodie Foster<\/a> and John C. Reilly<\/a> as the Longstreets, and Kate Winslet<\/a> and Christoph Waltz<\/a> as the Cowans is the absolute tour de force of the film.<\/p>\n

After the Cowans\u2019 son, Zachary (Polanski\u2019s own son Elvis<\/a>) \u2018disfigures\u2019 the Longstreets\u2019 son, Ethan (Eliot Berger<\/a>) with a stick in the park, the Longstreets, Penelope (Foster) and Michael (Reilly) invite the Cowans, Nancy (Winslet) and Alan (Waltz) over to their apartment to discuss what course of action should be taken next. However, a civilised, albeit contrived meeting unravels into childish chaos.<\/p>\n

Set in New York, but filmed in Paris, Polanski\u2019s Carnage<\/em> is brilliantly acted, scripted, produced and directed, with all the nitty gritty relationship angst allowed to vent and later explode under one roof and in one location. The latter allows the tension to build from the start with the false pleasantries while Penelope drafts a formal-looking statement for the Cowans about what happened, adding in inflammatory language. The delicious development of the story is in the detail that you and the characters pick up on about each of the four players that suggests possible reasons for the kids\u2019 \u2018character flaws\u2019 and the boys\u2019 fight. In suppressing their true feelings, the whole fiasco and attention on pointless irrelevancies becomes a farce of epic proportions, which is where the dark humour lies.<\/p>\n

Both sets of parents are complete contradictions that re-draw their allegiances as the story unfolds, down to basic \u2018man verses woman\u2019 and even macho traits, such as the hilarious scene involving high-flying lawyer Alan\u2019s mobile phone, as well as the mens\u2019 alpha dominance rearing its head over scotch and a cigar. While Waltz is delightful as the arrogant and blas\u00e9 Alan, more interested in his business life than his personal one, and taking amusement from toying with his new acquaintances and his wife, it\u2019s Reilly\u2019s salesman character Michael who is the real catalyst in the story, manipulating the situation and encouraging the characters\u2019 prejudices to pour forth.<\/p>\n

Foster is a wonderful bag of shredded nerves and morals as liberal humanitarian Penelope who wants the others to see the bigger picture of the origins of violence from a world perspective. Her inverted snobbery matches Nancy\u2019s prosperous, aloof nature, and after an unfortunate cobbler pie incident, their role reversal in the confrontation scenes allows them to see each others\u2019 side of events as they bond over the trials and tribulations of motherhood and marriage. Winslet is rollicking drunk to behold as she lets her prissy demeanour slip.<\/p>\n

Carnage<\/em> is one of the most accomplished and illuminating comedies of this year that lays bare the true, hidden depth of its characters within a downward spiral of complete folly. Polanski\u2019s theatrical film is a breath of comedic fresh air at the box office, and a highly entertaining must-see.<\/p>\n

5\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

By @FilmGazer<\/p>\n

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