Movie · 2011 · Comedy, Drama · 1h 20m · R · English
Curator score: 5.0/10 (249.2K ratings)
A new comedy of no manners.
Overview
Two pairs of parents hold a cordial meeting after their sons are involved in a fight, though as their time together progresses, increasingly childish behavior throws the discussion into chaos.
Ratings
Curator score: 5.0/10
IMDb: 7.1/10
Letterboxd: 3.61/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
Metacritic: 61
TMDB: 7.2/10
Director
Roman Polanski
Production
SBS Productions, Constantin Film, Versátil Cinema, Zanagar Films, France 2 Cinéma, SPI Film Studios
Cast
Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly, Elvis Polanski, Eliot Berger, Joseph Rezwin, Nathan Rippy, Tanya Lopert, Julie Adams, Lexie Kendrick, Roman Polanski
Curator Review
Verdict
A sharp, tightly wound chamber comedy that turns polite adult conversation into social warfare. It’s best when you want a fast, actor-driven pressure cooker with escalating cruelty, embarrassment, and darkly funny dialogue.
Best for
fans of one-location bottle dramas
viewers who enjoy toxic social satire
people who like performance-driven ensemble comedies
audiences in the mood for uncomfortable dark humor
Skip if
you need visual variety or big set pieces
you dislike characters who become increasingly petty and cruel
you prefer warm, likable comedy
you’re sensitive to nonstop verbal conflict
Overview
Carnage is a compact little demolition job: two couples, one apartment, and a conversation that keeps curdling into something meaner, funnier, and more revealing. The premise is simple, but the pleasure is in watching manners collapse under the weight of ego, guilt, and self-justification.
Worth noting
The film lives or dies on performance, and this cast understands the assignment. It’s a showcase for precision timing, shifting alliances, and the kind of dialogue that can feel theatrical without losing its bite. The humor is acidic, but the movie’s real target is adult hypocrisy.
Bottom line
If you like your comedies tense, talky, and a little cruel, this is an easy recommendation. If you want emotional comfort or narrative breadth, the single-room setup and escalating nastiness may feel more exhausting than entertaining.
Top Letterboxd reviews
vi (4★) · 1636 likes
i wish i was married to christoph waltz
Lucy (2★) · 1214 likes
I AM GLAD OUR SON KICKED THE SHIT OUT OF YOUR SON AND I WIPE MY ASS WITH YOUR HUMAN RIGHTS
DirkH (4★) · 942 likes
Language. It can be used to create and to destroy. For me that's what this film was all about.
We see four people who slowly strip away social conventions and eventually show their true selves, all because of the incessant need to talk, justify oneself and outwit others.
You cannot get around the fact that this is a play. One location, four actors and an insane amount of dialogue. For a film like this to work the acting has to… more
Ellie ✨ (4★) · 922 likes
jodie foster yelling, "don't you tell me about africa. i know all about suffering in africa!" was the best line-reading of the last decade
kayla (4★) · 590 likes
The whole thing is so funny to me. The casting was so perfect they really couldn’t have chosen a better actor for each character