FILM

France/Germany/Poland/Spain 2011 80 mins Dir: Roman Polanski Starring: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly

Set in Brooklyn but shot entirely in France for, ahem, legal reasons, Roman Polanski's adaptation of Yasmina Reza's acclaimed stage play could unfold in any country where there's a large affluent population. A taut black comedy, 'Carnage' burrows skilfully beneath superficial civility to tease out fault lines of gender, class and politics which erupt into open warfare when lubricated by grievance and malt whisky. If this were an actors' pissing contest, the magnificent Christoph Waltz would emerge as the unlikely victor, despite Kate Winslet's impressive projectile vomiting.

Polanski's only concession to 'opening out' the play is a long-shot depiction of the events that have brought two sets of parents together: one little brat beating the crap out of another. In the smart, tidy Brooklyn apartment occupied by improbable couple Penelope (Foster) and Michael (Reilly), the atmosphere is one of smug self-congratulation as they welcome Nancy (Winslet) and Alan (Waltz), parents of the pint-sized brute. After all, only educated people such as themselves would seek to resolve the matter amicably. But there's already tension in the air owing to an unfortunate hamster incident and matters are only going to get worse as the encounter evolves in real-time over the next brisk 75 minutes or so.

Each of these characters is beautifully drawn and the ensemble perfectly cast. Foster's Penelope is a humourless bleeding-heart liberal writer who aches for the people of Darfur. Reilly's schlubby hubby Michael is a lowly salesman used to tip-toeing around his brittle, morally superior spouse. Winslet's neurotic investment banker Nancy struggles to control her irritation at Waltz's Alan: a sarcastic, combative lawyer, who would clearly rather be anywhere but here and breaks off frequently to deal with urgent phone calls about a case in which he's organising a cover-up for an evil pharmaceutical corporation. Such is the build-up of tension that you yearn for Alan and Nancy to get away each time they make for the door, and - in one instance - get as far as the lift before being lured back into the apartment. A point of no return is reached when Nancy spews symbolically over Penelope's expensive art books. But the ground shifts as relationship resentments come into play, with Alan and Michael teaming up briefly against their wives. By the closing credits, playground bullies seem positively civilised by comparison. (Robin Askew)

Website www.sonyclassics.com/carnage/

Opens: February 3

Copyright Robin Askew 2012