The Party (2017) - A Movie Review

Who else is attending the party?

The Party arrived in 2017. A group of friends celebrates Janet’s new promotion. The guests arrive, but the mood descends from there. The guests reveal secrets leading to fights and misunderstandings.

You don’t see enough films like The Party. Based on its setup and sharp tone, The Party’s main components are the characters. Pay close attention to all the interactions in the story. Even for its short duration, The Party wears on its premise, becoming a dull story.

The Party incorporates a talented cast of actors. They did superbly in all their scenes, acquainting their characters and interactions. You can really get to know someone in an open setting. This movie made me study who I related to most.

Credits include Timothy Spall, Kristen Scott Thomas, Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz, Cherry Jones, Emily Mortimer, and Cillian Murphy. This team of actors has been in a multitude of films. Each actor expressed impressive moments of acting, like Murphy.

I put this movie on my watch list because of Patricia Clarkson. She is a superb character actress, portraying visceral women in film. April says whatever crude remark is on her mind. I detested her character with how cynical she was. She doesn’t give anyone a break.

These characters are so different. They’re intriguing. I get the impression that they’ve been friends for a while. However, they are anxious. They’re afraid of what others will argue about their opinion. Characters carefully choose how they react.

Conversations change or are interrupted. Dialogue is composed carefully to reveal something about the characters and their motivations. That’s what makes it real. Parties are like that.

There’s never one conversation going on. The character's conversations range across several topics, baring insight into complicated dynamics among the group. That’s the reason why we converse. It was funny that Gottfried (Ganz) was so inept, letting April shower him with insults.

However, there’s a point where the characters have too many conversations. Conversations pertain to health and politics. I got bored. Characters discuss health care and politics for ten minutes. The conversation barely goes anywhere. The movie is only 70 minutes in length. That’s a rarity. Though in little time, the story is stretched.

However, the title of the movie has a double meaning. Parties are get-togethers among close friends, but not all parties agree on their opinions. At its core, The Party is a film about the human desire for power and the lengths that people will go to achieve it.

Taking place in London, the entire film is set in one location; Janet’s elegant townhouse. Like one character experiences, remaining in this house becomes claustrophobic. I wanted to keep running outside to get air.

I like that Sally Potter made The Party a black-and-white film. It’s well-filmed. We don’t see enough of this contemporary style anymore. The tone makes the story all the more intimate and a sense of unease. The atmosphere reminded me of a Woody Allen movie.

Potter did well with the cinematography, expressing subtle nuances. It pertains to what we notice and don’t notice. It’s a social commentary on the state of modern politics and the hypocrisy of contemporary lifestyle.

Aside from the cinematography, The Party lacks excitement. It has a great cast to lead the story, but nothing significant develops.

The Party wasn’t the movie for me. Movies about social commentaries don’t interest me, but viewers will find more in their social analysis. If you want to check out The Party, go ahead. The cast and cinematography are the most memorable parts.