Carnage (2011): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Where to Watch
Carnage is a 2011 comedy drama directed by Roman Polanski, starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz. It is based on The God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza and Christopher Hampton. It runs 1 hour 19 minutes and earned $30 million worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes 2012. Critics gave it 71% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10. Rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 19m (79 min)
- Director
- Roman Polanski
- Original language
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English - Studio
- Sony Pictures Classics
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Carnage About?
The premise of Carnage without spoilers, adapted from The God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza and Christopher Hampton. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Following a playground altercation, two parents—a British journalist and his wife, and a liberal American couple—initially meet to mediate the situation. However, what begins as a polite discussion quickly devolves into a darkly comedic and increasingly volatile confrontation. As tensions escalate, long-simmering resentments and hidden truths surface, exposing the fragility of their carefully constructed facades and the chaotic underbelly of suburban life. The evening descends into a whirlwind of accusations and raw emotion, testing the limits of civility and revealing primal instincts.
Carnage Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- marriage
- single set production
- husband wife relationship
- based on play
- telephone
- losing a tooth
- hamster
- telephone call
- tulip
- flower
- drunkenness
- refrigerator
+38 more Show fewer
- scotch whiskey
- bully
- eating
- crying
- drinking
- unhappiness
- coffee
- pie
- art catalogue
- reference to darjeeling india
- hit with a stick
- park
- elevator
- coffee table
- opening a window
- espresso
- blow drying pants
- burping
- throwing a purse
- reference to darfur sudan
- lipstick
- argument
- whiskey
- cell phone
- disagreement
- quarrel
- real time
- small cast
- foreign language adaptation
- cup of coffee
- nickname
- coca cola
- pharmaceutical industry fraud
- one word title
- hair dryer
- cologne
- art book
- nausea
Where to Watch Carnage
Rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
Carnage Cast
Jodie Foster leads the cast, with Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz. Directed by Roman Polanski.
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Director Roman Polanski
Carnage Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Carnage 71% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.
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IMDb 7.1 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 71% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 66%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 61 Metascore
User score 7.2
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 72% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 3.6 /5
290 ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.7 /5
See on Movie Insider
Carnage Plot Summary
What happens in Carnage from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 10 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In Brooklyn Bridge Park, an incident unfolds when eleven-year-old Zachary Cowan (Elvis Polanski) attacks his classmate Ethan Longstreet (Eliot Berger) with a stick during a heated argument. The aftermath leaves Ethan nursing serious injuries, including the loss of a tooth, prompting their respective parents to intervene.
After learning about the altercation, Ethan’s parents, Penelope (Jodie Foster) and Michael (Michael’s actor), decide to invite the Cowans—Nancy (Kate Winslet) and Alan (Christoph Waltz)—to their Brooklyn apartment for a calm discussion aimed at resolving the issue peacefully. Penelope, driven by her values of justice and human rights, strongly advocates for an understanding between the two boys.
Full summary
The whole story of Carnage, scene by scene
Carnage Box Office
Carnage grossed $30 million worldwide. $2.5 million came from the US and Canada and $27.5 million (92%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$30M
- US & Canada
- $2.5M
- International
- $27.5M
Carnage Awards & Nominations
Carnage earned 1 award nomination, including Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes 2012.
1 nomination1 ceremony
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Golden Globes 2012 1 nomination- Nominated Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy – Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet
Carnage Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Carnage.
How Well Do You Know Carnage?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What triggered the initial argument between Zachary and Ethan?
Carnage Also Known As
26 alternative titles, including “Carnage - Der Gott des Gemetzels” and “Un dios salvaje”.
- Also known as
-
- Carnage - Der Gott des Gemetzels
- Un dios salvaje
- Der Gott des Gemetzels
- Резня
- Acımasız Tanrı
- Bůh masakru
- O Deus da Carnificina
- Ο θεός της σφαγής
- Az öldöklés istene
- 杀戮
- Rzeź
- Doamne... ce măcel
+14 more Show fewer
- אלוהי הקטל
- Deus da Carnificina
- 대학살의 신
- Un déu salvatge
- Касапница
- Різанина
- Asinspirts
- 躁爸爸狂媽媽
- おとなのけんか
- 今晚誰當家
- Kivirčas
- کشتار
- Masaker
- ¿Sabes quién viene?
Seen Carnage?
Movies Like Carnage
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Cul-de-sac, The Carnivores and American Carnage.
Carnage FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office, ratings and the book behind it of Carnage, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Carnage?
Carnage runs 1 hour 19 minutes (79 minutes).
When was Carnage released?
Carnage was released on December 16, 2011.
Who directed Carnage?
Carnage was directed by Roman Polanski.
More films by Roman Polanski Who is in the cast of Carnage?
Carnage stars Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz.
Where can I watch Carnage?
In the US, Carnage is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
How much did Carnage make at the box office?
Carnage grossed $30 million worldwide ($2.5 million domestic, $27.5 million international).
How is Carnage rated?
Carnage has 7.1/10 on IMDb, 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, 61 on Metacritic and 72% on TMDB.
Is Carnage based on a book?
Yes. Carnage is adapted from The God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza and Christopher Hampton.
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