Random Movie Review: Carnage
Near the titular line in Polanski’s newest film, Carnage, Christophe Waltz growls to Jodie Foster, “The origin of law is brute force.” which essentially encapsulates the larger themes that are uncomfortably explored by two married couples after one’s son hits the other’s in the face with a stick. After an excessive display of social politeness and adult conflict resolution, the four characters gradually devolve into vain explorations of base emotions. In a comedic fashion, of course.
Roman Polanski loves apartments. This film follows that penned up, naked expression that he explored in Rosemary’s Baby, but more intimately in his 1965 film, Repulsion. There are many similarities to be found between these two movies (and many others), but Polanski finds lighter ground in the 2008 French play Le Dieu du Carnage. Starring, and only starring, Kate Winslett, Christophe Waltz, Jodie Foster, and John C. Reilly, the story sits around their coffee table as the polite conversation and common ground gradually fall away. As painful as it could have played out, these wonderfully skilled actors make the living room engaging and often very funny. Shifting feet, awkward glances, and bodily functions do so much to break the tension without ever being overt or slapsticky.
When the film ended, one of the two middle-aged women behind me said, “Well that could be a play, right?” There is something obvious when a film was originally intended for the stage. The limited scenes, the repetitious settings, and the continuous dialog do much to tip off the audience. Much good can come from filming plays. There are framed camera shots, close ups, and tracking shots that go a ways to express central moments. All things said, I would much rather have seen this filmed than at a theater. Polanski brings a level of lived-in comfort to the apartment. Careful crafting allows a severity to shine through along with far subtler comedic moments than can be expressed on stage.
The film falters a bit with the converse of this. I could also largely tell this was originally a play because of several grandiose and overly-theatric dialog exchanges and character turns. Characters grandly reacting in ways that were meant to reach the hearts of those in the nosebleed seats don’t work so well on close-up inspection. Also, there are turns of phrase, which seemed so inherently play-like, that it took me out of the picture from time to time. “Toss your cookies”, “High falutin’ clap trap”, and (ugh) “Odor of Cronos” are not things I expect in realistic dialog.
That said, these actors mesmerized me as they used their children as weapons, blindly forging and breaking alliances. This film (play) captures a power struggle for an unknown prize, performed marvelously. And even though the forcefulness of societal convention/harmful effects of repressing instincts theme may need a fuller examination, I did enjoy watching this cast explore it.
Notes
-
julietako78 liked this
-
posteriori posted this
