Carnage (2011)

After an 11 year old strikes another 11 year old across the face, knocking out two teeth, their parents (Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz of INGLORIOUS BASTERDS) get together to discuss the situation. What starts off as a cordial meeting descends into drinking, vomiting, accusations and revelations. Based on the award winning play GOD OF CARNAGE by Yasmina Reza who co-wrote the screenplay with director Roman Polanski, there are only four characters in the film. Dialog is paramount in a film like this and fortunately for us, the dialog is rich and pungent and more often than not, amusing. The template for this kind of film is Edward Albee's WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? and to the film's credit after it's 80 minute running time, you still want more! All four actors are excellent and Polanski makes no attempt whatsoever to cinematize the film. You're pretty much watching a filmed play but as I said, when the dialog is this good, who cares? The brief score is by Alexandre Desplat with a brief cameo by Polanski as Foster and Reilly's neighbor.