User reviews

A one-act play, centring on two sets of parents in a Brooklyn apartment discussing a violent episode between their children, sandwiched between a very short, speech-free prologue and epilogue as credits roll. The ostensibly liberal but clearly uptight mother and apparently more conciliatory but hen-pecked father of the victim invite the aggressor's parents (she overtly more community-spirited, he more put out as he manages a work crisis on his mobile) over to talk about the incident, as responsible adults, but the ensuing clash of attitudes prompts a descent into the sort of puerile behaviour that was precisely the intended subject of the conversation.

Well cast, the four players interpret the sharp, witty lines with aplomb, one's sympathies leaping around from character to character as they gradually unravel, but without ever settling anywhere for long as each in turn cedes any moral high ground as quickly as they gained it. There is scorn aplenty (subtle and blatant) as rivalries and alliances are repeatedly struck and dashed. One can forgive the improbability of the meeting surviving several junctures when it would more naturally end because the dialogue continues to give.

I guess you can't go far wrong with such a script in the hands of this director and group of actors and it makes for a very watchable film, although I'm guessing the stage is its real home and I'll look out for it there.

Despite it's name, which should imply a very violent movie, this one is a wonderful little movie about social structures and the way its built within us to the point of forcing us to behave in certain ways.

The concept for this movie is simplistic to the maximum level. Just 2 couples discussing terms for their kid's fight. What seems to be a nice meeting to solve the problem soon became a carnage fight (of words only, gladly).

The movie allow us to explore the aspects of each of the 4 personalities, that's it, that's the movie, and it's great, superb, no music, no special effects, no induced drama, no additional details to color the movie. Simple, powerful, nicely done.

From all the movies coming from Hollywood these days, this one is a nice gift, top notch actors, great comedy, nicely put together, what more could you ask.

So, go on, see the movie, what are you waiting for!

Working on a "sense of community," the two couples in Carnage engage in slowly evolving urban warfare, precipitated by violence in the playground between their two sons. 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. What begins civilly escalates to a raw verbal mêlée with all players laying bare their prejudices and weaknesses while the issue of the repentance of Nancy and Alan's child becomes a vehicle for class and culture clash. As in director Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby, the action is almost exclusively in the small, one bedroom apartment, resulting in an uncomfortable crowding of bodies and egos. And it doesn't take long for the individual differences to surface as one is conciliatory, another confrontational, another detached, and another bewildered.

Nor does it take long (only an 80 minute production anyway) for alliances to build (and not necessarily in the same couple) with the refrain "Why are we still here?" becoming the battle cry. 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. What I like best is the language, not elevated but sassy, smart, and colloquial: "Should we wrap this up?" Yes, it is a film to be wrapped, but there is no real end to the social jousting that goes on in our minds if not our mouths, which are sometimes beaten badly as careless children might do in their play.

I would like to start off my review with a little back story. I was off from work on a beautiful Southern California day and just watched Woody Allen's Manhattan Murder Mystery last night so this was a nice complimentary movie.

The basic premise of the movie is the interactions of two sets of parents who are getting together for the sole purpose of an altercation between their children. Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly are the parents of the injured child (Ethan). Kate Winslet and Christopher Waltz are the parents of the boy that hit Ethan (Zachery). The movie starts and ends in the confines of the Longstreet's apartment (Reilly & Foster). What ensues is the breakdown of civility between the two parties.

I really enjoyed the movie, especially as it was the right movie for my mood, but also because the casting was great, dialogue was sharp and as usual the directing was spot on. I went in expecting Reilly to be miscast, but he not only held his own but had some real moments. Foster is easy to hate and the one I think an award nomination is due. Winslet had a great metamorphosis as too chic investment banker. Waltz was maybe not fleshed out as much, but easily the most enjoyable. All things considered it was a Thoroughly enjoyable movie.

There is very little not to like but taken in the essence of an old fashioned ensemble And that it's wrapped up nicely with a bow, not many loose ends, it's a great 80 minute Escape from the HD life we live.

CARNAGE – CATCH IT ( A ) Carnage is one of a kind movie about the meeting held between two set of parents regarding their sons fight in the Brooklyn Park. What starts as a meeting between the parents to determine what led to the fight, turns into the most chaotic day of their lives. Carnage is truly splendid, its four characters in one costume in one apartment. The whole movie is like a theater play where it seems that all is said and done in one shot. Roman Polanski got his hands on some of the most talented actors like Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Walts and John C.Reilly. All the actors have done a tremendous job in showcasing Sensible, Polite, Patient, Direct, Tense, Irritated, Defensive, Outraged, Drunk, Insanity, Chaos, Mayhem, Devastation, Violent, Persuasive, Shocking, Appalling, Juvenile, Massacre and Grotesque emotions. I must say that the ending and the whole hamster story in the movie was hilariously excellent. Overall, Carnage is an excellent dark comedy which requires multiple viewing to understand the characteristics and greatness in the performances of the actors.

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 ****

By Maurice Jones

Roman Polanski's 'Carnage' starring Jodie Foster, John C. 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. The back drop of the credits is filmed and placed in a way that looks especially 70's, which entirely gives a delightfully and brilliantly vintage opening of a treat, as something like this is unfortunately rarely seen in a dramedy as this. 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. Reilly) by the son of a seemingly conservative couple; Nancy and Allen (played by Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz). Penelope is an opinionated, passionate writer who leads the reasoning of the incident. Michael is a friendly yet choosy salesman who tries to make light of the whole situation. Nancy is a pseudo-conservative who like Michael tries to keep the whole situation without argument and Allen is a sly yet focused attorney who would rather be working then deal with the incident as long as the whole thing is dealt with fairly. 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 what one would consider to be poorly written, boring, typical or an off-putting part of the film is really a clever set up of what's to come as the first half realistically exports the pointlessness and exhaustiveness of how this situation is handled. As things seep towards the second half of the film the characters become less and less censored and open to be their real selves in the confinement of Penelope and Michael's apartment which leads to the rewarding and interesting part of the film. Nancy and Michael are the soft, mending parts of their relationships but turn out to be more disturbed and Penelope and Allen are the leaders and rightfully duke it out. 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. With that Kate Winslet is great at acting guarded and then letting her guard down and Jodie Foster pushes herself to points that seem brilliantly worrying (she should probably get an Oscar nom). John C. 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. If you're into or not into films about four people dealing with each other in one location, check out 'Carnage' and if not for Roman Polanski, see it for the rare useful form of the actors involved. I started out not sure whether I was going to like 'Carnage' or not but towards the end I saw the big picture and in that my only regret is, that when it ended I wanted more time with these four people.

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. It takes fantastic director like Roman Polanski to make this topic utterly engaging with oozing humor coming out from its protagonist. From the very start, film clears why the parents meet and what is their issue and superficially ties to rectify that but due to their first nature it crashes into a deep funny spectacle , this whole process of rectifying the situation till they become themselves villain is so funny and entertaining that u will not feel bored. four fantastic actors with their due screen space will make u laugh. roughly 79minutes it is a real fun. Watch for its fine situational dark humor and fine piece of acting.

This is not only a movie for the thinking man. One is allowed to sit back 80 minutes, laugh a lot and leave the cinema satisfied. There is no need to discuss and interpret, the message is delivered in nicely-served bits of satirist speeches which are easy to follow. Our civilization is based upon lies. So how does Roman Polanski achieve it to present us this cheerless idea in such an incredibly cheerful way?

It's the actors and the characters they play. They are rich, they are cultivated, but not too aloof. One still is able to identify with the characters. The woman with the big heart for Africa played by Jodie Foster and married to the slightly corpulent shop-owner played by John C. Reilly. The other couple consists of the most charming investment consultant played by Kate Winslet and the busy yet stylish lawyer, wonderfully acted by Christoph Waltz. The reason for their little meeting is a fight between two boys. Two civilized married couples having a civilized meeting. If there's something negative, it's sad behind the other's back. But slowly the good attributes become ironically stretched, blurred, we know the roles of the single characters so well that consequently only hate remains. We hate the super-human Jodie Foster. We hate the darling Kate Winslet for her being blatantly drunk and not being able to control herself. We hate John C. Reilly for his diplomacy and simple-mindedness. Only Christoph Waltz remains jet-set. The scene in which he talks to John C. Reilly's mother on the phone is so great you can't draw a border between noble showmanship and sheer arrogance.

Great actors, great story (it reminded me a bit of Clybourne Park, but it was better), not too thoughtful, not too thoughtless - but all chewed. I love the moment of cracking the nutshell of a movie, the moment of realization. Sadly, Roman Polanski left that nutshell out. What remains still is very delightful, though.

In the face of such classics as Chinatown and Rosemary's Baby it would be a hollow statement to label Carnage one of Roman Polanski's best films; it's shockingly minimalistic compared to the rest of his catalog, and almost anachronistic in its old fashioned filmmaking style and stripped-down production. Many were probably disappointed by the film purely because of Polanski's name; it might have been better received if it was directed by a young newcomer. Case in point: 12 Angry Men and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, directed by young newcomers Sidney Lumet and Mike Nichols, respectively. Both are still considered among the best each director achieved, but also as experimental debuts that would lead to bigger and more ambitious things. Obviously this is not the case with Carnage, which is a veteran director returning to his roots, to a minimalism not seen in his work since the 50's. 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. Carnage isn't any real news, cinematically speaking, but it's a wonderful exercise in acting and interaction, and if you're a fan of minimalistic cinema like I am you're bound to find interest in it. 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. Reilly - who manage to covey four complex, fascinating, repulsive and very realistic characters, and by the ever-shifting relationships and alliances between them. 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. For fans of Roman Polanski or for anyone who loved minimalistic films with compact casts, from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf to Tape and Cube, it's highly recommended.

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. Reilly) in Brooklyn, New York, to amicably discuss the incident between their eleven year-old sons. 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. The cast could not be better and the ironic conclusion shows that in fight of sons, parents should never interfere unless requested. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Deus da Carnificina" ("God of the Carnage")

Note: On 12 Oct 2020, I saw this film again.

it is not a surprise. the cast is great and the script/play gives many opportunities for demonstrate this fact. image of a crisis, simple and powerful, impressive for the precision of scenes,a play who has chance to has extraordinary actors, it is a splendid exploration of characters and society human types. a special film who seems be almost extravagant.because all is different by common recipes. the transformation of masks in aggressive tools, the fragility of existences and marriages, the force of accusations, the frustrations as axis of a form of survive. a bitter comedy, a deep drama. and one of guide movies who reminds the purpose of real cinema - art as subtle reflection of life.

This film is mildly recommended.

Move over, George and Martha! Good-bye, Nick and Honey! Not since the powerful screen version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf , almost half a century ago, has a blistering film adaptation from a highly praised play about the disintegration of marriage made it to the big screen. Sadly, the sound and fury of the written word has fell silent to the relentless onslaught of superheroes, teen angst, vampires, and such.

Now there's a new couple or two bickering away into your hearts. It's Get the Guest Time once more! The class war has heated up in Roman Polanski's film treatment of the Tony award-winning play, God of Carnage. Co-written by its original playwright Yasmina Reza ( and the director ), and shortening its title to Carnage, the basic story is still left unscathed, but the core of the drama and the over-the-top hysterics are too forced and heavy-handed to support the action.

Meet Michael Longstreet and his wife, Penelope, an upper class couple with the middle class values to prove it. Their son was injured in a schoolyard scuffle by another boy and his parents, the upper upper crust Alan and Nancy Cowan have decided to formally apologize for their son's violent misdeed. Nothing goes as planned as conversation and blame escalates throughout the visit.

This film version is fairly faithful to its original source ( although the names of the female characters have oddly been changed to protect the guilty ). Polanski cleverly opens the film with a distant shot of the altercation between the two boys, but never reveals the cause or argument leading to the violent act. 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. Polanski's direction is solid, but the satirical edge has been blunted, sacrificing the comedy for the melodramatic flourishes with certain monologues either abridged or removed entirely in this new translation. ( Sorely missing is a wonderful ending speech by one of the characters that efficiently summarized the play's theme. ) There is a disparity, a lopsidedness in this film adaptation.

Perhaps, this is a vehicle for strong actors who are ideal for these demanding roles. The right casting is so essential to achieve Carnage's vitriolic sting. Polanski has wisely cast Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz as the rich intruders. They bring their baggage with them in full force, even if it's the Louis Vuitton variety. But the director seriously miscasts Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly as the other warring couple, causing a delicate imbalance of the comic elements to suffer in the process. The credibility of each couple is so crucial for the film to work, and it just doesn't here. One never truly accepts Foster and Reilly as real spouses.  Physically and emotionally, they are a mismatch, with Foster emanating classy strength and intellectual superiority and Reilly underplaying his role as more of a schlep rather than a controlling bullying type. This unevenness sets the wrong tone for the wordplay that follows.

Carnage is supposed to be a bumpy ride, a dark comedy about our human foibles. But this film version more often fumbles in its clumsy staging. This farce has become far too sobering, even with all the booze being shared. Pour me another. GRADE: B-

NOTE: Visit my movie blog for more reviews: www.dearmoviegoer.com

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. His parents are salesman Michael (Reilly) and writer Penelope Longstreet (Foster) who are holding the meeting. The boy who was wielding the stick was Zachary, whose parents are loquacious Alan (Waltz) and nit-picky and openly insulting Nancy Cowan (Winslet). At first, the talk is presumed to be only a short meeting between two parents, both equally in stressful situations. It quickly transfers from a genial encounter to an almost blatant attack on the couples' separate ways of parenting. The Longstreet couple is more attached to the path of calmness and politically correctness, while the Cowan couple is more blunt, dictative, and downright nihilistic.

The performances are electric, with every actor giving their all to make the material work. 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. It shows what pressure, a smothering setting, and a real problem involving their kids can do to people. Parenting is arguable one of the most challenging, yet rewarding experiences life brings many of us. It can only be further complicated when a confrontation between another child is brought into the picture. The film never becomes pictorial, and depicts the stress in a relaxed way that doesn't become dry or unbearable.

The film is based on a stage play, titled God of Carnage, which is really no surprise. The film plays like one big monologue, shot practically in real-time. If Hollywood got a hold of this formula, I could see a very, very bleak turnout. It would most likely focus more on the humor, making it too arrant, while oppressively hammering in one liners like a one-track, dull comedy. Here, we are more focused on timing, wit, style, and don't forget the development and substance. The care and attention needed to perfect an idea like this is all here, full force. No exceptions, no cop outs - just unadulterated honesty.

I mentioned in my review of The Myth of the American Sleepover that awkward silences and pauses were becoming too common in independent films. Silence, not in the sense of pacing or development, but a droning quietness between dialog that made films feel like a giant hole was cut in the screenplay. The characters in Carnage are quick on their comebacks and timing, making for a very interesting play-by-play. You want to yell your comments and remarks at the screen, but feel you'll disrupt the casual, sophisticated flow of the script.

Carnage is simply a masterful piece by a well-respected director. This is my introduction to Polanski's work, and probably my strongest welcoming to a director's vision next to Scorsese's Casino and Kevin Smith's Clerks. I recently mentioned in my review of Harry and Tonto that the greatest trait a film can possess is the trait of humanism, where the characters seem real, well thought out, and developed unconditionally. Carnage understands that trait inside and out. It could also very well be a comedy with more bad laughs than natural ones, including an ending that reigns truer to anything I've seen in a while. Its commentary on child development and parenting is efficient, and its intellectual side is brittle, realistic, and calm. This is easily one of the funniest, darkest comedies of 2011.

Starring: John C. Reilly, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz, and Kate Winslet. Directed by: Roman Polanski.

Carnage is joyously rhythmed by the anger and indignation of its four protagonists while defusing some tension with friendly comedy. the verbal exchanges are a treat and very entertaining, although they go over the top at times. i really liked the coming apart of the couples to seamlessly form new alliances (women against men, and crossed couples), allowing for interesting divergence of opinion about civilization and education. once the characters start to rip each other, an involuntary intimacy develops. Polanski made a solid effort with his precise framing and use of space. finally, the film manages to discuss so much with the time they have in an entertaining manner.

"Carnage" is about the carnage that is left over as two couples get together to discuss their sons' recent altercation. It's a play. Not just based on a play, but I'm pretty sure it is the play, word-for-word, scene-for-scene. But make that just one scene. One room, one afternoon, four characters. What makes it even more unique, is that it's a comedy. I don't think I've ever seen a comedy this simplistic in its setting.

Jodie Foster plays Penelope, she's the passive-aggressive wife and mother; her husband is played John C. Reilly and he just wants to make nice; their son was the victim. Kate Winslet's Nancy also just wants to make nice; her husband is played by Christoph Waltz and he's the aggressive-aggressive one; their son was the abuser.

I know what you're thinking. Is it really that easy to declare one 11 year-old boy the victim and the other the abuser? Aren't they both somewhat to blame for whatever occurred? Well, you try telling that to Foster's Penelope. After the 1 hour and 20 minute straight verbal battle, I am staying clear.

"Carnage" is funny because we know what each character is really thinking under their sincere, or false-sincere, passive cover. Eventually, once a bottle of scotch gets consumed, they admit to their feelings, and surprisingly, it still remains funny. That is where the brilliance of the writing comes in. You could apply the old adage, "it's funny because it's true." But there is something to these movies about the real human and family relations accurately displayed beneath a comedy banner.

Being a comedy, "Carnage" fared well enough getting Golden Globe nominations, but I am a little miffed at the lack of screenplay nominations. Then again, that's what happens when it is written and directed by Roman Polanski. I don't blame Hollywood for not always wanting to award him. If you don't want to reward him either, then find the play version of "Carnage". I'm sure it's just as good.

"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. Although the concept in not entirely new and you might tell from the first minutes how the events are going to unfold, the film has a good pace and provides the viewer with some decent laughs being quite entertaining for a flick that is mostly based on dialogue.

The acting is what you would expect from a movie that features such big names, Christoph Waltz and Kate Winslet being particularly good here. "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. Although it may not reach the standards set by those movies, Polanski's film manages to be enjoyable, well paced and offers a satisfying movie experience.

My rating: 7,5/10

Size matters, right? even for Roman, after the brilliantly intricacy-crafted THE GHOST WRITER (2010), the scale of CARNAGE shrinks just like a hors d'oeuvre, no wonder its lukewarm feedback is percolating in spite of the lure of 4 Oscar-bounded leading thespians. Actually the response is par for the course, the film hinges on a more stringent time schedule (literally the exact time audience spends in front of the big screen), which is too featherweight to be considered seriously for the Oscar race (referring to other play-adapted Oscar dearest CLOSER 2004 or DOUBT 2008, both at least possess a decent time span), but which doesn't thwart all the fun one could obtain from a feature film.

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. Reilly is in his comfort zone to liberate the venom under his goody-goody disguise.

One big plus is the film ends ideally when the fray starts to become stale, so Polanski is still as crafty as any filmmakers could ever wish for.

'CARNAGE': Four Stars (Out of Five) Roman Polanski adapts the popular French play 'God of Carnage', by Yasmina Reza, in to this dark comedy about argument. The film tells the story of two sets of parents trying to 'heal' a conflict started by their kids. It stars Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly. The entire film is set in real time in one Brooklyn apartment (although filmed in Paris due to director Polanski being a wanted fugitive in the US). Reza co-wrote the screenplay with Polanski and it's about as clever and witty as any film I've seen this year, while still remaining mostly believable! The film revolves around a fight that breaks out between two eleven year old classmates in Brooklyn Bridge Park when one boy refuses to let the other in his gang and calls him a tattle-tail. One boy is struck by the other with a stick and is hurt badly in the mouth, requiring some dental work. The parents of each boy decide to meet in one couple's Brooklyn apartment in order to discuss the fight and try to resolve the conflict between the two boys. The rest of the film (almost it's entirety) plays out in the apartment with the parents discussing their boys' conflict rather aggressively which results in a much bigger conflict between them. Like the recent Iranian film 'A SEPARATION' this is a beautiful and believable film about argument. Of course this is a much more comedic and somewhat lighthearted look at argument than the award winning foreign language film but it's just as realistic and drives home it's point just as clearly. 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 dialogue is very smart and funny and the directing is perfectly subtle. Like I said not as hard-hitting as the Iranian masterpiece but nearly as effective in it's own way. A very relatable and enlightening film; one not to be missed!

Based on a stage play, CARNAGE shows two sets of parents (Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz) coming together for a cordial meeting after their sons have been involved in a fight. However that atmosphere of cordiality soon dissipates, as the four of them become involved in a series of arguments, both verbal and physical. Roman Polanski's film has strong echoes of Mike Nichols' WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF; it is a four-character study of bad behavior, only this time all the protagonists give as good as they get - unlike the Nichols film, where George Segal and Sandy Dennis function as the butts for Burton and Taylor's verbal jousts. CARNAGE is both horrifying yet blackly funny, as we marvel at the depths to which four supposedly civilized middle-class people can sink to in order to retain their self- esteem. The only character who seems rather out of place is Foster's Penelope Longstreet, chiefly because the actor does not seem to understand the absurdities of her role. The film is shot almost entirely in one set, showing how the characters are enclosed in a claustrophobic world of their own making. However director Polanski has a fine understanding of his character, as his camera picks out every emotional detail in the actors' faces.