Every once in a while, I'll see a very dialogue-heavy movie and think "This would probably make a good play." Then, I'll see a movie based on a play which is made up of exterior scenes and even action scenes and think, "How on Earth was this a play?" Obviously, movies and stage plays are very different mediums, but the law of averages makes one think that they would synch up at some point in time. Well, they finally have, in the film Carnage, which is based on the play God of Carnage.

Penelope (Jodie Foster) and Michael Longstreet (John C. Reilly) have invited Alan (Christoph Waltz) and Nancy Cowan (Kate Winslet) to their apartment for a discussion. It seems that Zachary Cowan hit Ethan Longstreet in the face with a face while the children were playing in the park, and Ethan lost two teeth. Penelope and Michael have decided that the best course of action was to have the Cowan's over for a talk and to plan a course of action. At first, the talk is very civil, as the quartet focuses on the problem with the boys, but can't quite reach an agreement on what should be done next. Penelope and Michael serve cobbler and the talk continues, but it begins to veer away from the topic at hand and wander into more personal issues. Alan's cell phone rings constantly, as an important client is caught up in a media scandal. Michael's mother, who is ill, calls as well. Nancy begins to feel sick. The simple matter of talking about two boys who got into a fight continues to spin out of control as all four characters stop being superficial and start to be very, very honest with one another.

Director Roman Polanski has decided to forego what we've come to think of as a play adaptation and stick to the basics. All of the action takes place in the Longstreet's apartment, and save for some brief side-trips to the bathroom, kitchen or hallway, most of the film is confined to the living room. This allows the viewer to focus on the most important aspects of the film, the acting and the dialogue. Yes, the set direction is important, as it lets us know what kind of people the Longstreets are, but keeping it simple allows the language of the film to stand out. Keeping everything in the apartment also helps to ramp up the feelings of tension and claustrophobia. Several times during the course of the film the Cowans attempt to leave (and make it to the aforementioned hallway), but they always come back into the apartment. These moments foreshadow a sense of relief, but it never comes. This harkens back to Polanski's 1965 film Repulsion where he explored the notion of how the walls of an apartment can begin to close in on you.

Again, the set up allows us to focus on the acting, which is very good. Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet were both nominated for Golden Globes for the movie and the film won Best Ensemble Cast from the Boston Society of Film Critics. Based on his recent comedic roles, John C. Reilly may seem like an odd choice for a film like this, but the amount of goofiness which he brings to his character is perfect when things begin to unravel, thus making him feel more real. Waltz tones down on the menacing nature he brings to most of his roles and simply concentrates on being a jerk. Foster and Winslet do a good job of showing how civility and hospitality can quickly dissolve.

It's clear that a lot of work and thought went into Carnage. So why doesn't the movie work? The answer is an ironic one. The whole point of the story is that these characters meet to discuss a serious, but seemingly simple issue and never reach any conclusions. However, this going round-and-round weighs on the audience. At first, it creates a sense of tension which is palpable and indicates good things for the movie, and as the arguing continues, we long for a release from this tension. But, the roller coaster never reaches the top and the tension gives way to ennui as we wait for something new to happen. Instead, the dead horse simply gets beaten over and over again. The other problem with Carnage is that it's nowhere near as funny and clever as it thinks it is. The "jokes" here are easy to spot, especially the ones which are repeated over and over again, but they aren't funny. The sad thing is that this movie could have used some levity, but we just keep getting the same, "Isn't it funny when upper class people fight?" elbowing in the ribs. Carnage certainly has some things going for it, but in the end, it's not worth fighting over.

Carnage offers a tutorial on how to clean a book on DVD courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The film has been letterboxed at 2.35:1 and the transfer is enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs. The image is sharp and clear, showing only a trace amount of grain and no defects from the source material. The colors look good and the image is never overly dark or bright. For a DVD, I was impressed by the detail of the picture, which is rarely soft, and the depth is fairly good as well. The DVD carries a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track which delivers clear dialogue and sound effects. Again, the whole movie is based on the dialogue, which comes through nicely here. We occasional get some good stereo and surround effects when something is happening off-screen.

The Carnage DVD contains only a few extras. "Actor's Notes" (11 minutes) offers individual interviews (edited together) with Foster, Waltz, Reilly, and Winslet who discuss their characters and the story, most notably the undertones of the dialogue. "An Evening with John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz" (38 minutes) is an interview and Q&A with the two actors who talk about Carnage and their other films. "On the Red Carpet" (3 minutes) contains comments from the cast and others as they enter an AFI screening. The THEATRICAL TRAILER is the final extra.