The most recent movie based on a play, about a horse who goes on a gallop through war torn France, wasn’t exactly outstanding. Bit, spit the Warhorse taste out of your mouth and prepare to chow down on Carnage, which thankfully is a rather superb piece of play adaptation.
With a damn fine cast here, namely Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and the brilliant (sorry, I’m biased) John C. Reilly, Carnage tells the story of two sets of parents who hold a meeting after their sons are involved in a fight. Trying to find a resolution, the parents become embroiled in a number of hilarious, yet incredibly smart pieces of dialogue and scenes.
Carnage has another trick up it’s sleeve though. Directed by Roman Polanski, this is the first movie I’ve watched that actually makes you feel like you’re watching a play, as opposed to a piece of film. Whether or not it’s intentional, I have no idea, but within minutes, Carnage will transport you from the cinema to your local theatre. With more or less one location and what seems a limited number of camera moves, the experience here is quite unique.
As for the cast? They’re all really, really great with all of them turning in convincing performances and in particular John C. Reilly and Kate Winslet who really shine every time they open their mouth. Waltz and Foster are spot on as well, but are completely outdone by their on stage…sorry, on screen counterparts. All the characters are brimming with chemistry as the husband and wife teams descend into quite an eventful afternoon.
Carnage might not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s really clever, smart and witty complete with a number of brilliant sequences. The constant irritation of Alan’s phone is a brilliant touch and it’s execution on screen is subtle and natural. And that’s just for a phone ringing. So you can image how great the rest of the movie is. Polanski to his credit, keeps this thing rollicking along in what could have well been a disaster, as the movie is entirely set in one location. But the fantastic cast, brilliant wit and ringing phones will do more than keep you glued to the screen. Even the way Alan and Nancy always leave, but never make it into the lift, is another piece of brilliance, and one that is quite refreshing.
If you fancy a pretty unique experience, or even a night at the theatre, then go to your local cinema and check out Carnage. It’s incredibly sharp, intelligent and very, very refreshing. And in any case, it's worth it for the puking scene alone.
With a damn fine cast here, namely Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and the brilliant (sorry, I’m biased) John C. Reilly, Carnage tells the story of two sets of parents who hold a meeting after their sons are involved in a fight. Trying to find a resolution, the parents become embroiled in a number of hilarious, yet incredibly smart pieces of dialogue and scenes.
Carnage has another trick up it’s sleeve though. Directed by Roman Polanski, this is the first movie I’ve watched that actually makes you feel like you’re watching a play, as opposed to a piece of film. Whether or not it’s intentional, I have no idea, but within minutes, Carnage will transport you from the cinema to your local theatre. With more or less one location and what seems a limited number of camera moves, the experience here is quite unique.
As for the cast? They’re all really, really great with all of them turning in convincing performances and in particular John C. Reilly and Kate Winslet who really shine every time they open their mouth. Waltz and Foster are spot on as well, but are completely outdone by their on stage…sorry, on screen counterparts. All the characters are brimming with chemistry as the husband and wife teams descend into quite an eventful afternoon.
Carnage might not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s really clever, smart and witty complete with a number of brilliant sequences. The constant irritation of Alan’s phone is a brilliant touch and it’s execution on screen is subtle and natural. And that’s just for a phone ringing. So you can image how great the rest of the movie is. Polanski to his credit, keeps this thing rollicking along in what could have well been a disaster, as the movie is entirely set in one location. But the fantastic cast, brilliant wit and ringing phones will do more than keep you glued to the screen. Even the way Alan and Nancy always leave, but never make it into the lift, is another piece of brilliance, and one that is quite refreshing.
If you fancy a pretty unique experience, or even a night at the theatre, then go to your local cinema and check out Carnage. It’s incredibly sharp, intelligent and very, very refreshing. And in any case, it's worth it for the puking scene alone.
