With a star ensemble including Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz, Carnage is one of the most riveting movies this year that takes on a get together of two couples and the grisly results.
The story starts out showing a fight at the playground between two boys, Zachary and Ethan. Zachary hits Ethan with a stick and knocks out two of his teeth. Their parents decide to get together and resolve the problem between the boys. Ethan's parents, Penelope (Jodie Foster) and Michael Longstreet (John C. Reilly) invite Zachary's parents, Nancy (Kate Winslet) and Alan Cowan (Christoph Waltz) to their apartment to discuss what happened between their sons and the possible ways to mend their hostility towards each other. Everything goes smoothly at first, but cracks slowly begin to appear, with disagreement arising between the two parties and between each couple as well. The conversation begins to have no connection with what to do about the boys, but the many problems that each individual has towards their partners, their conflicting points of view, and their roles in society.
I just want to say that it was truly an unforgettable experience watching this film, because the space that the characters are confined to really contributes to their actions and speech, making it so tense and understandable for them to break loose from their publicly amicable selves. The story is set in New York but was actually filmed in Paris on a set, which I found very hard to believe because of all the intricate details of the apartment that keep it looking so real and truthful to the viewer. Carnage is originally a French play and I think the theatrical aspect was kept in mind throughout filming by the wonderful Roman Polanski. The length of the film is also really handy because it's not as long as many other films but still gives you that kick for what it's worth.
All the actors were great in their roles with Christoph Waltz really shining on his part, adding witty comments to the rather serious atmosphere that made me chuckle and grin every time. Jodie Foster's performance was a little overwhelming but still convincing making me wonder how she kept up that mad mind-set for such a demanding role. Kate and John were both very charming in their performances but when their characters got out of their element it was surprisingly hilarious to see them use such robust and powerful words to express what's really behind the masks they wear. And it completely proves that great actors don't need any special props or effects to propel their performances, making it all come down to their portrayal of the character at heart, kind of like what you would expect from stage actors.
This film explores so many facets of our society and how people deal with common issues to a completely different extent, that it was truly marvelous to see it fit into such a limited amount of time but still being able to send such a strong message. It deals with the issues arising in marriage, the many ideas people have about parenting, that strong competitive spirit that parents have while talking about their kids to others, and how they see other people's kids in connection with their parents' behavior and attitude towards parenting. I also found that there are views that only women share and views that only men share, with the women taking more care of the family, the home and the well-being of their children as well as trying to keep peace in their surroundings, while the men are more concerned about their jobs and taking the environment around their family more seriously than their actual family making it so much clearer why so many couples are in conflict with each other's points of view.
People's sense of civilization is definitely tested because of the brutal act that happened at the playground, with the parents linking it to what's happening with children in Africa, and their individual takes on that is quite eye-opening. It also sheds light on how people can change as a result of marriage or having children and I think it would be interesting for viewers to identify with the characters and the many parallels they may have with each individual, because any adult in their 30's or 40's must have gone through at least one aspect of each of these character's lives. It's definitely a wonderful character study and it's not just a one-timer, because you can always watch it again and find something about each character that you may have not caught a glimpse of before and that's what makes a truly great film.
I'm probably boring you now with all this information, but I'm just glad to get it off my chest and I definitely advise you to go see this film if it comes to your local theater. It may be a little slow for those who enjoy thrills and adventure but I certainly enjoyed it and I think you will too, especially if you love the work of all these actors and Roman Polanski.
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