Carnage

2 stars out of 5
This film is based on the stage play God of Carnage, written by the frightfully clever playwright Yasmina "Art" Reza, who cowrote the screen play. Controversial director Roman Polanski directed this film, which seems to be in New York but was actually shot (except for some establishing shots) in Paris (the guy who peers out of his apartment at the ruckus is Polanski, in a cameo).  The talent on display is amazing: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz. But the downside of letting a playwright adapt her own work is that she's so in love with the words she won't really open it up. If you didn't know this was based on a play, you'd know it was based on a play. It is claustrophobic. Also, although Winslet said in an interview she was thankful the movie was funny because otherwise it would be hard to watch, she was half right: it is hard to watch. My reviewing partner Neal Vitale skipped this movie because he disliked the play. Maybe I should have followed his lead.