Carnage
2011 · Directed by Roman Polanski
Original language: English
- comedy
- drama
The story
Two pairs of parents hold a cordial meeting after their sons are involved in a fight, though as their time together progresses, increasingly childish behavior throws the discussion into chaos.
What it’s like
Confined, theatrical staging: almost the entire film unfolds in one Brooklyn apartment living room, shot in long unbroken takes that let the camera drift between four adults seated around a coffee table strewn with tulips and half-finished drinks. The light is warm and flat, lamplit interiors with clean, bookish neutrals, and the score is minimal, so the quiet between exchanges carries as much weight as the dialogue. Its tone is dark, brittle comedy: a slow escalation from polite civility into petty, cutting exchanges and physical mess, with the awkwardness sustained rather than rushed. Intensity is low on violence and gore, though there is some vomiting and a scuffle, and the humour is sharp and mean-spirited throughout. The emotional register is cool and satirical, following four people whose manners slowly peel away to reveal their selfishness. It suits a late evening with a drink, or anyone who enjoys ensemble acting and barbed, talky comedy, and is less suited to anyone wanting something gentle or warm.
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