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Carnage

Play trailer 2:02 Poster for Carnage R Released Dec 16, 2011 1h 19m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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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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Carnage

Carnage

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 Lorenz L I am a sucker for a great screenplay, and this adaptation of Yasmina Reza's play "God of Carnage" is simultaneously hilarious, engaging, and controversial. Some people will undoubtedly be put-off by the main body of the film taking place in a single room, but with this incredibly talented cast and the riveting screenplay, the claustrophobic space only intensifies a meeting between two couples from polite conversation to the ensuing carnage. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/28/24 Full Review Michelle S Me encanta cuando puedes sentirte en la habitación Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Carnage

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

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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