Carnage (2011)  

Review: written June 2012

Claustrophobic and well acted adaptation of stage play

Roman Polanski has gathered a brilliant cast, with a terrific concept, and yet produced what I think is probably one of his lesser films.. simultaneously feeling somewhat long (at only 79 minutes!) and yet not long enough to reach a more biting, effective and satisfying conclusion.

The movie takes place in one room, as two couples (from apparently reasonably wealthy backgrounds) meet to discuss an altercation between their sons, which resulted in missing teeth for one of them, after being hit in the face with a stick by the other. It all starts with a great show of civility, as they each go to great lengths to remind each other that they are above such petty squabbles and as adults can reach a conclusion amicably. However as time goes on (in real time) the restraint and cloak of civility worn by the characters slips away, and by the end we see the real gap between what they would like to be seen as, and what actually lies beneath. The turning point comes half way through when the stress (or the cobbler..?) causes one to throw up, and this acts as a catalyst for the underlying true selves to be seen, almost as if the repression had the cork removed.

It is actually a wonderful concept, at least for those that like their `action' purely driven by people talking in a room. However, although this stageplay was always going to be tough to make into a film, it's disappointing that Polanski has somehow accentuated the staginess of the play, rather than made the situation any more natural or at least cinematic. This does distance you somewhat from the events taking place. On the other hand, the performances from Winslet, Foster, Reilly and Waltz are all excellent. They appear to be having a ball, getting their teeth into a role which allows the full range of emotion in a short space of time, perhaps too much so in some cases as they let their acting tics start to show and flag the characters coming development. In the hands of these great actors though, we relish watching as the relationships develop from 4 people trying to agree, to two couples facing off against each other, disintegrating as alliances form and then fall apart between the various characters (with the aid of whisky and cigars), until each stands apart.

So although stagey, its meticulously put together and well acted. Why only the average score? - because the sum of its parts, what it adds up to, is somehow at the end of the movie not quite enough to resonate as much as it could or should have, failing to surprise in a way which would have left its mark in the same way as, for example, “An Inspector Calls”, or “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolff”.