Carnage - a slow burner that eventually delivers

Last night I went to the Shrowroom cinema. This time it was to see Carnage, the latest comedy drama from Polish director Roman Polanski starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C Reilley.

 Carnage (2011):

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. IMDB.com

It has been adapted from the stage play 'God of Carnage' and even though I haven't seen it, I image that it has been translated to screen with very few changes. Apart from the opening and closing credits, all of the action takes place in a single flat with only four characters and no soundtrack. And it works. This is another film that is very different to most mainstream films and hasn't had a wide release.

Before seeing Carnage I wasn't sure how well the trailer conveyed the film, but now I've seen it, it actually sums it up quite well:



At the start of the film I kept forgetting which couple were the parents of the victim and which were the parents of the 'bully'. This was because both sets are trying as hard as possible to not upset each other. However, as the film goes on and the visiting parents continually try to leave but fail and keep returning, the courteousness breaks down and the comedy potential increases. It doesn't take long for alcohol to be introduced into the equation and for total chaos to break out, bringing with it genuine laugh out loud moments. Some you can see approaching, others hit you by surprise.

As more opinions are revealed, allegiances regularly swap. One moment it's couple vs couple, then the males taking sides against the women and even everyone against each other. This leads itself to lots of brilliant lines, with Waltz's character having some of the best as he manages to keep his cool amongst the carnage.

I didn't find myself getting bored and wanting to look at my watch at any point, but it did take a while to get going. However, it definitely gets better as it goes on and rewards you if you stick with it.

Carnage is a great film that has quite a few really funny moments, but there are also some awkward bits where you will be cringing for the characters and the situation they are. Some people will find this off-putting, but if you can get past this you will be treated to some of the best acting in recent films with scenes that you can't help but laugh out loud to.

Rating = **** (One to buy on DVD)