Carnage

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2:02

Carnage

R

Released Dec 16, 2011

1h 19m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

198 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

When some roughhousing between two 11-year-old boys named Zachary and Ethan erupts into real violence, Ethan loses two teeth. Zachary's parents, Alan and Nancy Cowen (Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz), meet with Ethan's parents, Penelope and Michael Longstreet (Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly), to try to smooth things over. However, what starts as a polite meeting among adults descends into finger-pointing, tantrums and insults. Based on the play "God of Carnage" by Yasmina Reza.

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Critics Consensus

It isn't as compelling on the screen as it was on the stage, but Carnage makes up for its flaws with Polanski's smooth direction and assured performances from Winslet and Foster.

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Shubhra Gupta

The Indian Express

Roman Polanski's major coup is not just in telling us such a universally resonant tale, but in gathering such a brilliant group of actors in a one space, and letting them loose at each other.

Rated: 3.5/5

Mar 27, 2019

Full Review

Deborah Ross

The Spectator

I'm not convinced it's particularly deep or insightful, but there is some enjoyment to be had from watching four actors at the top of their game get to where they do get to.

Aug 31, 2018

Full Review

David Elliott

San Diego Reader

The acting marathon is adroitly blocked and paced by Polanski and impeccably shot by Pawel Edelman.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 4, 2015

Full Review

Giuseppe Sedia

Kino Mania

Unlike Sam Peckinpah, Roman Polański does not linger on the cruelty of children [in Carnage]. The quartet of actors delivers top-notch performances with Waltz confirming his creative flair using a grotesque repertoire made up of sudden chuckles and grunts

Rated: 3/5

Nov 20, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Polanski’s film is fast-paced, deceptively simple, carefully arranged, and often hilarious in its observations about social decorum and the hypocrisies therein.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 23, 2023

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

It’s a sharply written, often times laugh out loud funny, and occasionally repetitive performance-driven drama.

Rated: 3.5/5

Aug 19, 2022

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Jacob B

As a play I found this piece to be riveting. As a film, even with the talents of Polanski and an all star cast working overtime, it feels like a community theatre production by actors who mistake screaming for intensity and over emoting for dramatic acting. In the end I didn’t feel riveted, I felt exhausted.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/25/25

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Audience Member

Ich habe das ursprüngliche Drama von Yasmina Reza mit Freuden gelesen!! Gerade das Ende des Dramas und dessen mitschwingende Botschaft hat eine große Wirkung auf mich hinterlassen. Umso größer mein Entsetzen, als ich gestern die Verfilmung sah: Sowohl der Anfang, als auch das Ende wurden KOMPLETT verändert. Die Gründe für diese Änderungen verstehe ich nicht. Ich bevorzuge das ursprüngliche Ende: Hier ist eine stärkere Kritik an dem Verhalten der Eltern zu erkennen!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/25

Full Review

Audience Member

wdym they're fighting? this is their love language. I love this film so fucking much.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/06/24

Full Review

Sams K

Honestly, this one's good. Sometimes we need something like this. It seems to be a simple film with nothing to talk about, but it's very interesting. The actors are sublime and the story's very interesting.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/02/24

Full Review

Faiz D

Enjoyed it, very good writing and acting.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/29/24

Full Review

Jeff M

The pedigree of this film couldn't be any finer - the director and stars have six Oscars and countless nominations between them. But this is a stagy, unpleasant film adaptation of Yasmina Reza's GOD OF CARNAGE, a play that I'm sure works well on the stage but feels really artificial through the camera lens. These are wonderful actors, but none of them are at peak form here - Foster in particular comes across very shrill and like she's trying way too hard. I've seen many brilliant stage to screen transfers but, sadly, this isn't one of them.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/04/24

Full Review

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Roman Polanski

Director

Jodie Foster

Penelope Longstreet

Kate Winslet

Nancy Cowan

Christoph Waltz

Alan Cowan

John C. Reilly

Michael Longstreet

Elvis Polanski

Zachary Cowan

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Carnage: Trailer 2

2:02

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Synopsis

When some roughhousing between two 11-year-old boys named Zachary and Ethan erupts into real violence, Ethan loses two teeth. Zachary's parents, Alan and Nancy Cowen (Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz), meet with Ethan's parents, Penelope and Michael Longstreet (Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly), to try to smooth things over. However, what starts as a polite meeting among adults descends into finger-pointing, tantrums and insults. Based on the play "God of Carnage" by Yasmina Reza.

Director: Roman Polanski
Producer: Saïd Ben Saïd
Screenwriter: Yasmina Reza, Roman Polanski, Yasmina Reza
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Constantin Film, Canal+, SBS Productions, Wild Bunch
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 16, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 7, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.5M
Runtime: 1h 19m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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