By Valerie Dunn
Elm Staff Writer
Few directors could film two couples arguing in a living room for 79 minutes and produce an entertaining movie, yet Roman Polanski (“The Pianist”) has done just that. Adapted from the Broadway hit “God of Carnage,” the film “Carnage” retains the qualities that gave the play its Tony-Award-Winning status. The plot’s seamless transformation from subdued to absurd gives “Carnage” the living room charm of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” but with less psychological drama and more humor.
After the son of Alan and Nancy Cowan beats up the son of Michael and Penelope Longstreet in a schoolyard tussle, the parents of each child decide to settle the issue quietly at the Longstreet’s home. However, what begins as an afternoon of parental diplomacy quickly becomes an exploration of character differences and a minefield of accusations. Drinks are poured, tulips demolished, and the insanity ensues.
To classify “Carnage” as anything but a performance piece would be a mistake. The set is little more than an apartment’s living room, the costumes never change (though Waltz does lose his pants), and there are no more special effects than a theatrical performance would have. The do-or-die of “Carnage” is the script, and those four actors that perform it. With a refreshing grasp of dialogue and humor, the script succeeds. The cast, impeccable as an ensemble and as individuals, revels in the script.
John C. Reilly (“Chicago”) excels as Michael Longstreet, the seemingly jovial host who wants to avoid arguments at all costs, even if it means taking the side opposite his wife. With his trademark aptness for humor, Reilly makes Michael a parody of likeableness.
Jodie Foster (“Silence of the Lambs”) gives Penelope Longstreet a character comically opposite that of her screen husband. Foster embodies Penelope as an awkward host who is nevertheless persistent in encouraging her own exasperation.
Christopher Waltz (“Inglorious Basterds”) as Alan Cowan is the slimiest of the four adults, and Waltz performs the stereotypical lawyer mercilessly. His steely and spoiled exterior lends to the construction of an interesting social dynamic between the snooty Cowans and the down-to-earth Longstreets.
But Kate Winslet (“Revolutionary Road”) gives perhaps the most memorable performance of the solid cast. As Nancy Cowan, Winslet exudes the grace and subtle snobbery of a New York lawyer’s wife. She contrives her initial character with a presence that is smaller than those of her co-stars but resonates just as loudly. Moreover, when the situation demands, Winslet reveals the wilder layers hidden below Nancy’s stiff exterior. Watching the pearl-adorned Nancy vomit not once but twice is particularly enjoyable. And, when Nancy recovers from a few too many drinks, Winslet further defaces Nancy’s prim persona with her presentation of unabashed drunkenness.
As tempers flare and egos bruise, the original dispute of schoolyard bullying mutates into an array of arguments spanning topics of humanitarianism, hospitality, and hamsters.
The chaotic argument crescendos into absurdity, and Michael exclaims, “You’re blowing this out of proportion!”
He is right, of course; the argument loses any basis in rationality by the end of the afternoon. But that is undoubtedly what makes the film so enjoyable. “Carnage” satisfies our need for both the smart and ridiculous.