Carnage

Rated R
Runtime: 79 minutes

Carnage is a deceptive little film. Given what I'd read about it, I was expecting a well written, well acted, and very serious drama. What I got was well written, superbly acted, dramatic at times, yet one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long, long time!

Carnage opens with a distant shot of children playing. A brief altercation between two of the boys on the playground is the catalyst for the entire story. In the very next scene, we meet Alan and Nancy Cowan (Cristoph Waltz and Kate Winslet), and Michael and Penelope Longstreet (John C. Reilly and Jodie Foster). We learn almost immediately that the couples are meeting because of the fight on the playground.

Alan and Nancy's son, Zachary, hit Michael and Penelope's son, Ethan, in the face with a stick. A little physical damage was caused, but more important to Penelope is that the violence be nipped in the bud and that the two boys talk it out. Alan and Nancy deny nothing, and both agree that the violence was inappropriate. All four parents confess that they're proud of the way they're handling the matter when other parents might have let things get entirely out of hand.

It's true; they do handle the matter very well with great maturity and calm. At least, that's how they start to handle the matter. As one deceptively small issue after another arises — many of which are completely unrelated to the matter at hand — they collectively begin to wear on the participants. And that's when things get very, very interesting!

The four actors who play the roles in Carnage are brilliantly cast. Better yet, all four have been nominated for an acting Oscar® in the past (three of the four have won), and they met or exceded expectation here. No one plays affable better than John C. Reilly, but only an actor with his abilities could turn on a dime while maintaining the sense of character. Jodie Foster is brilliantly intense, and Kate Winslet's aloofness is perfect as is her depiction of her crumbling emotional walls as the veneer of perfection is chipped away. Christoph Waltz is rapidly becoming one of my favorites. His every facial expression speaks volumes, and when he does speak, he's riveting.

I can't pretend that I have much respect for Roman Polanski as a human being. But I also can't lie and say that the direction of Carnage is any less than flawless. From start to finish, his hand is both sure and subtle. Polanski also co-wrote the screenplay, and that may be where Carnage shines even brighter. The best actors in the world can't take a bad script and make it better than adequate. But when great actors take a great script in hand — and this screenplay is nothing short of genius — you end up with something like Carnage.

BOTTOM LINE Carnage looks like a drama, and in large part it is. But it also mansges to be very, very funny. The story line, while simple, opens up a surprising number of doors into the psyche of the parents, and the numerous side stories that briefly crop up here and there don't distract but rather add to the whole. Carnage could have been dull or it could have tried too hard. Instead, it's endlessly fascinating, genuinely laugh-out-loud hilarious, and a virtual showcase of how to take an idea and do just about everything right.

POLITICAL NOTES There are some truly delightful political surprise awaiting you in Carnage. I won't spoil them for you, but I can say that I didn't find them objectionable. Funny? Oh, yes. Offensive? Well... But not objectionable, particularly within the context in which they're offered.

FAMILY SUITABILITY Carnage is rated R for "language." I frankly didn't hear much that was problematic, even for children. But Carnage isn't a movie for kids. It focuses on adult issues, it makes adult references, and its entire perspective is obviously from an adult level. A child wouldn't be permanently harmed by seeing Carnage to be sure, but I can't promise he wouldn't be terminally bored!