The Party

The middle-class dinner party in which the thin veneer of polite society is ripped away to expose the dog-eat-dog savagery underneath has provided ample fodder for playwrights since probably the birth of theatre, but films in which such a gathering is the sole focus are rarer. So step forward British auteur Sally Potter.

Having been appointed Shadow Minister for Health, Janet (Kristen Scott Thomas) and her husband Bill (Timothy Spall) throw a celebratory dinner party for their friends: the acerbic April (Patricia Clarkson) and (played by Bruno Ganz) her new age partner Gottfried ("prick an aromatherapist and you'll find a fascist" says April); lesbian professor Martha and her 'Masterchef' runner-up partner Jinny (Emily Mortimer), who is carrying their purchased foetuses ("babies are born every day, in large numbers - large enough to put our planet at risk" is April's unsentimental but accurate comment). Banker Tom (Cillian Murphy) arrives with his wife's apologies: she will be along later. Thus the stage is set, but when a champagne cork shatters a window it is an omen that this will be a dinner party none of the attendees will soon forget.

Trendy lefties who spend too much time thinking are an open goal when it comes to comedy, with their talk of 'post-post-feminism' and their professorships in Utopian Americanism, and Potter does not miss the target in her - I suspect affectionate - mickey-taking. There is nothing original in this - not even the 'twist' at the end - but the film is so entertaining that does not matter (with one exception: when banker Tom heads to the bathroom to snort cocaine I rolled my eyes - just once I would like to see a fictional young banker who *does not* have a coke habit: don't any of them simply put the kettle on?)

There is good acting all around: Clarkson gets all the best lines - albeit at the expense of depth of character - but that merely makes the others work harder with the lines they have been given. Thomas, whose character is the most fully-formed, is noteworthy.

At just over seventy minutes this is rather a short film. Quite why Potter decided to make it in black-and-white I do not know - extra filmsnob points I suppose. But it is hugely entertaining and I look forward to seeing it again. (After all, any film which lists in the credits 'production dog' *must* be good!)

I only watched this because of Cillian Murphy, and wasn't expecting much. The trailers made it look okay, and I don't really think a lot of comedy movies are actually funny. Well, I was surprised! I was laughing the whole time, and wished it was longer. Cillian's acting is taken to a new level in this movie, beyond what I had seen from him in the past. He was definitely the best character. Even the political humor made me laugh. The plot was also very good and interesting. The characters each add different types of comedy to the movie, and the dialogue is well written. I am excited to watch this movie again!

I had decent expectations for this from the second I saw it's trailer, I've just caught it on Netflix and it's fair to say I'm disappointed. A jumble of weird political statements and a masterclass in overacting the only thing going for this film is the fact it's a little over an hour in run time. With shallow characters who are easy to hate and are mostly uninteresting with the exception of Murphy's Tom this film is sadly not what it could've been. The setting is great as is the cinematography and style plus there's some great uses of music but sadly the 'story' is simple (which can be fine) but poorly executed, not what it could've been

Stellar performances, 9/10 script (there is a little bit lacking in the ending), and an overall likability to all the characters. For the first time in a long time I felt like I needed to post a review, because it felt like my view wasn't represented. If you liked Carnage, this is for you: This is a tightly wound, small play, made for screen. The bonus of having close-ups and a definitive, select final cut, made this a real treat.

This is an odd little film, but I did enjoy it. For starters, it's only 71 minutes long, essentially the length of a typical streaming weekly drama offering. Additionally, it's shot (very nicely) in black and white, features a total cast of just seven actors (including a handful of very recognizable faces), and takes place wholly in one house using only about four shooting locations there.

This black comedy revolves around a joyful government promotion announcement and the unusual cast of characters that arrive at a small private gathering to celebrate. Conflicts abound and the very smart dialogue runs from politics to pregnancy to life coaching, much of it snarky, droll, and dripping with sarcasm (not all these people like each other; we soon learn why).

It was a quick and entertaining film. Had it gone much longer, it might have become tedious, but it didn't get there. If you're a fan of smart adult banter and personal interaction and intrigue, you'll probably like this. The great cast helps.