IMDb RATING
7.1/10
134K
YOUR RATING
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 chao... Read allTwo 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.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.
- Awards
- 7 wins & 20 nominations
Joseph Rezwin
- Walter
- (voice)
- (as Joe Rezwin)
Nathan Rippy
- Dennis
- (voice)
Tanya Lopert
- Mother
- (voice)
Julie Adams
- Secretary
- (voice)
Lexie Kendrick
- Jogger
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film is set in real time, without breaks and, with the exception of the park scenes at the beginning and end, in a single location. The light outside visibly changes during the running time and it's slowly getting darker, adding another layer of realism to the film.
- GoofsOnce the amount of whisky in the bottle reaches to about 2 inches from the bottom, there are a few more glasses filled that should have emptied it, but instead the whisky continues to remain at that same level in the bottle.
- Quotes
Alan Cowan: [to Penelope] I saw your friend Jane Fonda on TV the other day. Made me want to run out and buy a Ku Klux Klan poster.
- ConnectionsFeatured in At the Movies: Venice Film Festival 2011 (2011)
- SoundtracksA Bushel and a Peck
Written by Frank Loesser
(p) 2011 SBS Productions
Used by permission of Frank Music Corp. (ASCAP)
Featured review
A breath of fresh air
In the face of such classics as Chinatown and Rosemary's Baby it would be a hollow statement to label Carnage one of Roman Polanski's best films; it's shockingly minimalistic compared to the rest of his catalog, and almost anachronistic in its old fashioned filmmaking style and stripped-down production. Many were probably disappointed by the film purely because of Polanski's name; it might have been better received if it was directed by a young newcomer. Case in point: 12 Angry Men and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, directed by young newcomers Sidney Lumet and Mike Nichols, respectively. Both are still considered among the best each director achieved, but also as experimental debuts that would lead to bigger and more ambitious things. Obviously this is not the case with Carnage, which is a veteran director returning to his roots, to a minimalism not seen in his work since the 50's. And yet, it's so much better than any of the more ambitious films he made in recent years - The Ghost Writer, Oliver Twist, The Pianist and The Ninth Gate all having their merits, but none a real classic or any kind of a surprise.
Not to say that Carnage is as good as 12 Angry Men or Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, masterpieces of minimalism and cinematic landmarks. Carnage isn't any real news, cinematically speaking, but it's a wonderful exercise in acting and interaction, and if you're a fan of minimalistic cinema like I am you're bound to find interest in it. I never found it boring for a second - uncomfortable, yes, grating even, but never dull, I was completely drawn in by the wonderful performances of the leads - Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly - who manage to covey four complex, fascinating, repulsive and very realistic characters, and by the ever-shifting relationships and alliances between them. While it's clearly a filmed play - and Polanski let the original text shine - he makes excellent use of the possibilities the film format allows, from the bombastic and melodramatic to the quiet and subtle, neither of which is possible on stage, at least not in the same way.
Carnage isn't necessarily a masterpiece but it's a wonderful intellectual exercise and one of my favorite films of 2011. For fans of Roman Polanski or for anyone who loved minimalistic films with compact casts, from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf to Tape and Cube, it's highly recommended.
Not to say that Carnage is as good as 12 Angry Men or Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, masterpieces of minimalism and cinematic landmarks. Carnage isn't any real news, cinematically speaking, but it's a wonderful exercise in acting and interaction, and if you're a fan of minimalistic cinema like I am you're bound to find interest in it. I never found it boring for a second - uncomfortable, yes, grating even, but never dull, I was completely drawn in by the wonderful performances of the leads - Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly - who manage to covey four complex, fascinating, repulsive and very realistic characters, and by the ever-shifting relationships and alliances between them. While it's clearly a filmed play - and Polanski let the original text shine - he makes excellent use of the possibilities the film format allows, from the bombastic and melodramatic to the quiet and subtle, neither of which is possible on stage, at least not in the same way.
Carnage isn't necessarily a masterpiece but it's a wonderful intellectual exercise and one of my favorite films of 2011. For fans of Roman Polanski or for anyone who loved minimalistic films with compact casts, from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf to Tape and Cube, it's highly recommended.
helpful•4319
- itamarscomix
- Apr 28, 2012
- How long is Carnage?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- God of Carnage
- Filming locations
- Paris, France(Studio)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $25,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,547,047
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $79,795
- Dec 18, 2011
- Gross worldwide
- $30,035,601
- Runtime1 hour 20 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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