Parents' Guide to

The Party

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Smart but shrill ensemble dramedy has mature content.

Movie R 2018 71 minutes
The Party Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

StressAct1
StressAct1 Adult
April 2, 2021
age 18+

Aged like a Bitter Wine.

I liked the party, though I wouldn’t want to attend it. I’m a big fan of Cillian Murphy but when I saw Kristin Thomas Scott including a couple other actors I like was all in. I think it’s a film I need to rewatch, it’s not for everyone, I mentioned I liked the actors, politicians I don’t, However that’s on me because the film was about a character who was a politician . So I think it was a case of watching unlikeable characters, very flawed even though in some movies you can still like them. It was a good film, the acting ( a little over the top in some parts ) was great, When it’s a play or theater the acting is exaggerated because you have a different type of audience to meet you have to be louder & more animated to engage them. I did find the characters stereotypical I’d like to surprised someday, this seems to be the norm these days when they’re introducing characters who share different sexual Identities in some cases I think it does them an injustice. However considering all the mixed genre, shooting in B/W the quirky characters included, it was still quite good!

This title has:

Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In THE PARTY, Janet (Kristin Scott Thomas) is planning a get-together to celebrate her ascension to minister for health. While she prepares food and secretly texts with a mysterious, illicit lover, her husband, Bill (Timothy Spall), drinks wine and absently listens to records. Guests begin to arrive, including the cynical April (Patricia Clarkson) and her partner, the calm spiritual healer Gottfried (Bruno Ganz); pregnant Jinny (Emily Mortimer) and her partner, Martha (Cherry Jones); and finally Tom (Cillian Murphy), who's amped up on cocaine and carrying a gun. Much arguing and revealing of secrets ensues -- until one angry partyer gets ahold of Tom's gun.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (2):

This playlike dramedy is sharp and good-looking (in black and white), but it's also shrill and aggressive, hurling nasty, witty barbs at the speed of suffering; it's smart without being thoughtful. The humor in The Party seems to be based on subtle differences in political preferences, though the movie does little to explain or describe these differences. What remains is a collection of selfish, repellent behaviors. (Only Ganz' "healer" character seems kind and calm, but even he tends to respond to others with platitudes, rather than actually listening.)

The Party recalls Beatriz at Dinner, a movie that did take time out to explore its characters' personal and political motivations. That film came up with a more interesting clash, although, to be fair, The Party has a much more concise, ironic, and satisfying ending. It runs only 71 minutes, which is refreshing, but perhaps it could have been longer, adding some silences and moments to explore and reflect? It's a disappointment, coming from talented English director Sally Potter (Orlando, The Man Who Cried, Ginger & Rosa), who likes to take risks but whose movies are usually more involving.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Party's use of violence. How much is physical violence, and how much is psychological? Which seems to hurt the characters more?

  • How are drinking and drug use depicted? Is any of the use extreme or out-of-control? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

  • What are the movie's themes? What do you think it's really about? What is it saying about these people -- or about all of us?

  • How does the movie's use of black-and-white help or hinder it?

Movie Details

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