Carnage

2011 "A new comedy of no manners"
7.1| 1h20m| R| en
Details

After 11-year-old Zachary Cowan strikes his classmate across the face with a stick after an argument, the victim's parents invite Zachary's parents to their Brooklyn apartment to deal with the incident in a civilized manner.

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Reviews

Matrixston Wow! Such a good movie.
Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.
BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.
Staci Frederick Blistering performances.
moonspinner55 Having arranged a meeting at their New York apartment, a married couple, whose son was smacked in the face with a stick by another boy in the park, attempts to clarify the situation with the other child's parents, who initially agree their son was at fault but soon begin to argue the point--all relevant (and irrelevant) points, in fact. Director Roman Polanski co-adapted this 'savage comedy' from Yasmina Reza's French play "Le Dieu du carnage" (God of Carnage), yet the material does not lend itself easily to the cinema. It's a character piece in much the same way "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" was a character piece; however, "Virginia Woolf" (as a play and as a film) had at least two compelling characters to lead us through the dramatic wreckage. "Carnage" is about four adults acting like the very same 11-year-olds they're squabbling about, and there's nothing terribly interesting in grown ups engaging in immature mudslinging. Jodie Foster's Penelope, passive-aggressive in her jabs and asides, is probably the least convincing character of the group, with Kate Winslet's put-upon Nancy rating a close second. The two men, John C. Reilly as Michael and Christoph Waltz as Alan, fare a bit better than the ladies; however, once we get Polanski's point--that each one of the characters will, in turn, attempt to devour the others--it's just a matter of time before Michael and Alan become equally ridiculous in their petty arguments. An unpleasant film, but for cinephiles a definite curiosity item because of Polanski's involvement with this talented group. Still, it's no star vehicle; nobody comes out of "Carnage" looking good. **1/2 from ****
invaderJim I really enjoyed this film. I'm not a Roman Polanski fan. And I'm not particularly a fan of any member of the cast. But it all came together wonderfully. The film oscillates between bizarre, hysterical, and maddening, just as the characters do. Each has their turn as the voice of reason, as the child, as the higher ground and the low. Often the characters will represent the holy and the profane in the same breath. It's a valuable lesson in humanity. Even at our lowest, we are constantly aware of the highest of our values, and constantly altering our behavior because of it. It's when we break down and abandon all of our social mores that we really show ourselves, and while it may not be pretty, at least the movie manages to make it funny! The movie's technicality is also a plus. It manages to feel like a play and a film at just the right intervals to avoid distraction from the characters and the degeneration (or progression, depending on your outlook) of their interaction. Admittedly, it was almost cheating. The film basically brags about its resemblance to The Exterminating Angel. At one point a character even says "No one is forcing you to stay". But if you're going to steal, steal from the best.
timvincent-90482 I chose this film off of blue ridge on demand knowing nothing about it. It caught my eye because I saw John C. Reilly in the description as one of the leading actors, being I'm not even a big fan of Reilly, I have no idea why it compelled me to view it but I'm glad I did.To put it shortly, the film is about two couples having a meet due to their children getting into a physical fight with each other.All the characters were believable, even the ridiculous character played by Jodie Foster, because I happen to know someone just like that personally. The movie was pretty predictable but it did not take away from the brilliance. The wives turning on the husbands and vise versa, everyone one person is against every other character at some point or another and all their points of view are able to be related to. Everyone of them has so much character and emotion which is ripped away and put out for every one to see at an alarming rate, especially with the help of a few drinks. I won't go into a lot of detail but kudos to the entire cast for playing difficult characters. What I mean by difficult is, well I had a hunch and come to find out that it was true that the entire movie was shot in real time without any breaks or pauses, and that must be something difficult to do. Any person can go through several emotions in a few hours from every day life experiences but these people bear everything from generally hospitable and laughter down to point of marriage breaking arguments and saying they don't even care about the situation involving their children period. The cast pulls it off amazingly, it comes across realistic, exciting, and authentic. To think, the movie begins with the two couples already together with one of the pairs heading out the door right from the start and an entire cleverly put together film takes place before they make their way out. Actually I do believe the flick ends even before the couple leaves which would probably be its only real downfall to the general public, the completely abrupt ending, even though I personally thought that it fit the moment justly.
braddugg A movie that's a must watch for it's sheer stupidity that has a point of it's own. Yeah, at times you may feel the whole thing absurd and at the end you may confirm yourself that the whole movie is absurd too, but I thought this to be a more meaningful cinema and it's pure fun. You can't just lock parents over their children's act and then take it head on to reveal how childish the parents are, and how mature their kids are. Nothing is explicitly shown and nothing is elaborated, but yet in a few glimpses or frames, we can make out each character, and that's what it is so essential. For a writing to be called good, it has to be remembered by it's characters and their lines and that's what exactly this film does. Based on a play by Yasmina Reza, who has done a stupendous job in writing, Roman Polanski has tried effectively in depicting the emotions and what had each character been through. Even a tiny phone conversation that is actually so digressive becomes very important. Yes, its easy to remember each character coz they are just four. Tied up in an apartment where a hall, a kitchen or even bathroom become such important locations now. In Nearly 75 minutes of the length, the film could have gone anywhere but it ends at a point after which everything else seems pointless. How ever they may crib about each other, each character is unique and has his or her own misgivings. One has insecurity complex, one has cunningness to hide things, one is very upset due to her deeds, the other is so because he is not doing what he wants to. So in all it's absurdity too it has a meaning so very underplayed that by the end, all seems so meaningful then. The kids patch up so very easily than the parents, who bring their egos to everything they can and just cannot let their egos go. I am so happy to have watched this, and thanks to Roman Polanski to undertake this play and turn it to a cinema that is subtle, underplayed but the end is very warming and overwhelming. A 4/5 for a film that says "with minimum of things, you can still tell a very important story". This is the kind of film even I would love to be a part of.