The Party Reviews

I really had no idea what to expect from this flick but since it was directed by Sally Potter and since there was a really nice cast involved, I thought I might as well check it out. Even though Potter has a solid reputation, I have to admit that I don’t have a clear view or understanding of what her work is actually about but it might have to do with the fact that it was only the 3rd movie I saw from this director. Anyway, even if this movie was barely 70 mins long, it felt more like 2 hours which wasn’t really a good omen and, to be honest, I had a rather hard time to care about the damned thing. I have to admit that the black-and-white cinematography was quite gorgeous, even if it was maybe slightly pretentious and it probably made the whole thing look more artistic than it actually was. Concerning the story, it did have some potential but, very quickly, it became a farce mixed with a soap which was hardly an entertaining mix, at least, as far as I was concerned. It’s a pity since all the characters seemed to be quite smart and articulate but they were all pretty much wasted doing some hysterical shenanigans. At least, the stellar cast (Timothy Spall, Kristin Scott Thomas, Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz, Cherry Jones, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy) didn’t disappoint and they all seemed to have a blast. Anyway, to conclude, in spite of its flaws, I have to admit it was still a decent watch and I think it might be worth a look but only if you really like the genre.