The Party

Roadside Attractions | Release Date: February 16, 2018

6.2	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 36 Ratings

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User Reviews

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axlrosenApr 25, 2018

A movie full of obnoxious people who fight for no reason. Everyone's personality is turned up to 11, to try to make things interesting I guess, but it just makes things seem so unrealistic. I guess if everyone's always pissed off andA movie full of obnoxious people who fight for no reason. Everyone's personality is turned up to 11, to try to make things interesting I guess, but it just makes things seem so unrealistic. I guess if everyone's always pissed off and insulting each other for no reason, that's supposed to be dramatic or funny?… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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Rebecca31Feb 16, 2018

A dinner party that goes horribly, horribly wrong. The Party is a gem. The script is sharp, fast paced with plenty of laugh out loud moments. Written and directed by Sally Potter, this desperately tragic story is wrapped in laughs that justA dinner party that goes horribly, horribly wrong. The Party is a gem. The script is sharp, fast paced with plenty of laugh out loud moments. Written and directed by Sally Potter, this desperately tragic story is wrapped in laughs that just keep on coming. With a running time of only 71 minutes it wastes absolutely no time reeling you in. You’re immediately brought into this story that unveils everything it has to only when it has to. Set in a single location, filled with a terrific cast. Kristin Scott Thomas, Timothy Spall and Cillian Murphy are superb. Patricia Clarkson had me in stitches. A wonderfully simple idea you can’t not enjoy The Party.

From the trailer I was sold but The Party certainly exceeded my expectations. Immensely entertaining and highly recommended, find a cinema showing it, sit back and enjoy.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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Brent_MarchantFeb 25, 2018

Despite some occasional pacing issues and a few instances where cynical satire spills over into outright nastiness, this wry, witty account of a political celebration gone terribly wrong features an excellent script, a marvelous ensemble castDespite some occasional pacing issues and a few instances where cynical satire spills over into outright nastiness, this wry, witty account of a political celebration gone terribly wrong features an excellent script, a marvelous ensemble cast and stunning, poignant black-and-white cinematography. There's plenty to chew on with this offering, from the incisively written dialogue to the razor sharp insights to the big laughs that result from many of the lines. While this project would probably work better as a stage play, it nevertheless generally delivers the goods in its on-screen format and does so with a positively wicked sense of humor.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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GreatMartinMar 6, 2018

The movie starts with Janet (Kristin Scott Thomas) opening the door and pointing a gun at one of her unseen guests. The guests are friends of her and her husband Bill (Timothy Spall) who are celebrating Janet’s peak as a career politician.The movie starts with Janet (Kristin Scott Thomas) opening the door and pointing a gun at one of her unseen guests. The guests are friends of her and her husband Bill (Timothy Spall) who are celebrating Janet’s peak as a career politician.

April (Patricia Clarkson), Janet’s best friend, has a sharp tongue which is always in use, has come with her boyfriend Gottfried (Bruno Ganz), a life coach, who she plans to break up with. Martha, (Cherry Jones) a feminist college professor, arrives at the party with her much younger lover Jinny (Emily Mortimer) who informs Martha that she pregnant, with triplets. Tom (Cillian Murphy), a coke sniffing, gun carrying banker, arrives apologizing for his wife, who works for and with Janet, explaining that she is running late and will there soon.

For the next hour, we watch and hear couples talking about politics, cheating, life, children and what each accomplished or didn’t and how they think about all things. In what is supposedly a farce and comedy, except for Clarkson’s bitter humor and Murphy’s way over the top acting there really isn’t too much to this movie except I did not see the ending, the last line, coming.

This is the second film in a week, the other being “1945”, photographed in black and white, with the latter running 91 minutes and “The Party” 71 minutes and neither are worth the time.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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BHBarryFeb 18, 2018

“The Party” was written and directed by Sally Potter and stars Kristin Scott-Thomas, Patricia Clarkson and Emily Mortimer along with some other fine actors. Unfortunately, the fame and talent of these thespians cannot save this wordy and“The Party” was written and directed by Sally Potter and stars Kristin Scott-Thomas, Patricia Clarkson and Emily Mortimer along with some other fine actors. Unfortunately, the fame and talent of these thespians cannot save this wordy and unworthy film as it manages, in about 75 minutes, to bore and annoy those foolish enough to have purchased tickets to see it. Ms. Potter has confused long winded orations and improbable circumstances with dark comedy…and it just doesn't work. To make matters worse, the film is in black and white which aids and abets the displeasure of having to watch it. I give the film a rating of 2 and suggest to members of the viewing public that they find any excuse at all to rsvp that they cannot attend “The Party”.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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TVJerryMar 12, 2018

This film is in black and white, so that already suggests a level of pretentiousness. Ironically, so was the film version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and this effort aspires to that sort of soiree. Sadly, it never comes close to Woolf'sThis film is in black and white, so that already suggests a level of pretentiousness. Ironically, so was the film version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and this effort aspires to that sort of soiree. Sadly, it never comes close to Woolf's brilliant dialogue and biting interactions. There's a fine cast, including Kristin Scott Thomas, Patricia Clarkson, Cherry Jones, Emily Mortimer and Cillian Murphy. They gather for a celebratory dinner, but anxiety hangs over every interaction. Unfortunately, so does the ponderous dialogue that destroys any hope of compelling drama. There are some interesting situations that are skillfully handled by the actors, but the whole thing is just leaden with affected, hollow interactions. The best thing I can say about this movie is that it's only 71 minutes, which still felt too long.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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GuardrailFeb 26, 2018

This is a tight little drama, a raging black comedy for sure, but there's so much more to it. Rest assured you'll savor the skewering of certain members of the cast, and this alone makes it worth the price of admission. But as to the moreThis is a tight little drama, a raging black comedy for sure, but there's so much more to it. Rest assured you'll savor the skewering of certain members of the cast, and this alone makes it worth the price of admission. But as to the more subtle messages, you might have to see it twice just to convince yourself that someone had the guts enough to put it out there so fearlessly. If you saw Ginger & Rosa, you probably know what I'm talking about. Either way, throw yourself into the fire.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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GinaKFeb 27, 2018

The Party is a beautifully acted contemporary ensemble comedy/farce with a smart script that ends with a wonderful and very funny twist. The direction is very clever and keeps the comedy moving along at high speed even though most of theThe Party is a beautifully acted contemporary ensemble comedy/farce with a smart script that ends with a wonderful and very funny twist. The direction is very clever and keeps the comedy moving along at high speed even though most of the action takes place in two small rooms and only branches out occasionally to the backyard and the bathroom. I won’t tell you why since it will spoil the fun. Great work from everyone (the actors were obviously enjoying themselves) and from the director Sally Potter who kept things lively and hilarious.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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DeanomiteFeb 2, 2020

It starts very slow, the music feels like a lullaby, even the ringtones are boring. Even Cillian Murphy doing drugs didn't liven it up, he honestly looks like he wandered off another movie, one i would have liked to see. Here, he justIt starts very slow, the music feels like a lullaby, even the ringtones are boring. Even Cillian Murphy doing drugs didn't liven it up, he honestly looks like he wandered off another movie, one i would have liked to see. Here, he just emphasizes that its a retirement home. I made it 20 minutes, definitely not the audience for this movie.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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geewahJan 11, 2021

Sharp, smartly written drama about a gathering that goes off the rails. Set in a few rooms this movie relies on character interaction rather than some grand story.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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