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Film: Carnage
Director: Roman Polanski
Cast: Christoph Waltz, Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C Reilly
Rating: *****
Based on the play God of Carnage by French playwright Yasmina Reza, Carnage is a modern day masterpiece and from a director like Roman Polanski, you expect nothing less.
In terms of a plot, all that can be written is that two sets of parents meet each other, after their sons are involved in a fight, to cordially and amicably resolve matters. Things eventually spin out of control as the parents drop all their exterior politeness and social manners leading to… well, carnage. The irony that the four adults assembled to sort things out in a dignified manner end up behaving in all possible childish ways is not lost on anyone.
Jodie Foster gives an outstanding performance as the uptight Penelope Longstreet who just cannot handle the fact that the whole matter is not being dealt with her way. There are certain scenes in which her face seems on the verge of bursting into flames due to suppressed rage. But the one to look out for is Christoph Waltz who plays the career-oriented, misogynistic lawyer who is more interested in his phone than his son beating up another kid toothless.
One might wonder how a drama that mainly involves conversation between four people happening in one room with seemingly claustrophobic sets be enjoyable. It is the fast pace of the film that keeps it interesting and the witty dialogues and one-liners hold the audience’s attention. The conversations between the characters are powerful, laced with dark humour and sarcasm.
Roman Polanski in his adaptation has managed to retain the essence of a theatre production. There are no lavish sets, in fact, there are just two. Most of the action of the film takes place within the four walls of a living room of a Brooklyn flat. Close-up shots and limited angles constantly reinforce a feeling of being in close quarters. Even the shots taken in the park seem cramped and have a stage-like quality. A scene that could have given a sense of being in an open area, with the sky and river in the shot, is constricted by the presence of two big trees on each side of the frame which almost serve as stage left and stage right.
This is one film you do not want to miss.
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