Society dictates a certain code of conduct when meeting new people. Pleasantries are exchanged, maybe a laugh is shared and then you sit down and get to the meat of your conversation. In Roman Polanski’s Carnage polite society is thrown out the window as a discussion between two families dissolves into a screaming match that involves scotch, cell phones and plenty of tears.
At the center of the story is two families, the Longstreets and the Cowans. Nancy (Kate Winslet) and Allan Cowan’s (Christoph Waltz) son beats up the Longstreets, Penelope (Jodie Foster) and Michael (John C. Reilly). They meet at the Longstreet’s Brooklyn apartment to discuss the matter. Conversation is civil enough, but as the day devolves into chaos and tension grows, the two couples become involved in a screaming match that makes the viewer truly uncomfortable.
The story’s simplicity is anchored by strong performances from the whole cast. Jodie Foster perfectly captures Penelope’s ideas of a pseudo-bohemian life spent writing books about conflicts in Africa. John C. Reilly’s Michael seems nice enough, but takes a turn for the worst in the second act. Winslet and Waltz easily step into the shoes of upper middle class New Yorkers as they step out of their comfort zone to deal with people who are obviously of a different class.
The movie is short, clocking in at under an hour and a half. It is the perfect length given how uncomfortable things on the screen get towards the end. The story is fast-paced, easy to follow and darkly funny. It is a must see for fans of any of these great actors.
Photo courtesy of http://www.deadline.com/2011/07/roman-polanskis-carnage-to-open-new-york…