Director: Roman Polanski
Starring: Christoph Waltz, Kate Winslet, John C Reilly, Jodie Foster
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 78 Minutes
Extras: Interviews with the cast, trailer
Films based on plays can be very hit-and-miss; successes like AMADEUS (1984) and DOUBT (2008) will always be counter balanced by poorer efforts like HAIRSPRAY (2007) and THE LIBERTINE (2004). With CARNAGE, Roman Polanski has translated play LE DIEU DE CARNAGE with the help of playwright Yasmina Reza and adapted it into a movie. The story is a very simple one, set around two couples – Alan and Nancy Cowan (Waltz and Winslet) and Penelope and Michael Longstreet (Foster and Reilly) – who meet up to discuss an altercation between their sons Ethan and Zachary; the setting for this is the Longstreet’s home and we are taken on the journey to a resolution that may, or may not, appear.
With Roman Polanski it is easy to forget his greatest works amongst some of the more average fare he has produced. Films like THE PIANIST (2002), CHINATOWN (1974) and REPULSION (1965) are unquestionable classics of their respective genres; CARNAGE is something of a return to his roots. We have a small cast of four (admittedly a great four) and a very simple story that is stretched to breaking point a few times then slackened off, a trait of Polanski’s pre-Hollywood work and some since. With such a small and talented cast, along with a good script, Polanski is able to take us on a journey that few others would have the talent to do. His confidence with the camera is stunning, taking us in close when needed and sitting back when things threaten to boil over. Indeed, the handling is even more remarkable given this is a comedy.
The characters Polanski has at his disposal are all fully formed in the first 15 minutes with a slow, fuether reveal through the film’s duration, and whilst the actors are all exemplary in their roles, John C Reilly (MAGNOLIA) and Christoph Waltz (INGLORIOUS BASTERDS) have to be picked out for special praise, Waltz in particular as Alan Cowan – a ruthless lawyer in the middle of a case – is tremendous fun, aided by some of the film’s best lines he helps to steer the piece back to sanity when it at times threatens to lose its way.
Not being the greatest of attendees to the theatre (once in the last 10 years) this story was new to me. It is an interesting set-up but as previously stated in Polanski’s assured hands it works – given to a Michael Bay it wouldn’t. CARNAGE required an assured and confident hand to manage the script. Despite all the praise, the film is not without fault. Indeed, it isn’t as funny as it maybe could be, and one scene in particular (which should be the funniest in the film) misses the spot, in truth, by quite a distance and Jodie Foster plays the same role she always seems to take nowadays, that of a neurotic control freak. However these are small gripes as the film is very well made, given the short running time doesn’t outstay its welcome and is worth a look for Waltz alone.
Extras: Disappointing interviews and a trailer is all you’ll get for your hard earned money, disappointing but any behind the scenes stuff would have been wasted given the films setting.
CARNAGE is available on Blu-ray and DVD 18th June.
