From the director of Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown & The Pianist, Carnage is a simple, small scale & lighthearted black comedy that stacks four interesting characters inside a single location and, with the help of its sharp wit & committed cast, demonstrates the entire futility of the situation where parents try to settle their children's fight by themselves.
The story of Carnage follows two pairs of parents who, following an incident involving their sons, decide to meet each other and discuss the matter in a civilized manner. Friendly & cordial at first, their discussion soon dives into endless snarks, squabbles & disagreements and as the day progresses, the issues of their personal lives eventually make it to the surface.
Co-written & directed by Roman Polanski, the film is in perpetual motion throughout its 80 minutes runtime even when it is taking a breather, for the jibes just keep coming from one end or another. It does help to have well-rounded characters that are dysfunctional in their own ways and it certainly makes for one compelling drama when the whole charade comes crashing down.
Except for the bookended scenes, the entire plot unfolds inside a single apartment, and this minimal setting compels the viewers to keep their attention on its characters. Its sardonic wit & piercing dialogues never run out of fuel. Camera is employed like a silent observer that's solely focused on the biting conversations between two parties, and Editing provides a tightly-knitted structure to its 80 minutes narrative.
Coming to the performances, Carnage features an outstanding cast in Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz & John C. Reilly, and all four of them are absolutely fantastic in their given roles. The tirade between Winslet & Foster, in particular, is a highlight to watch while the two men really try to keep their distance from the pointless argument until dragged into the mess by their respective missus.
On an overall scale, Carnage is a delightful, delicious & devilish little comedy that's skilfully crafted & splendidly performed and delivers an extravaganza that's funny, smart & engaging from start to finish. Most may not rank it amongst the best films of Polanski's decades-spanning career but in my opinion, it is an underrated gem that deserves a higher place in his filmography. Wild, hilarious & entertaining, this comedy of no manners is absolutely worth a shot.
