Film Review – The Party

Without opening titles and end credits, “The Party” is roughly 65 minutes long. In this day and age of bloated run times and overly plotted wipeouts, it’s refreshing to encounter a film that’s bravely short and to the point, giving audiences a direct shot of drama that’s all about the moment, not the aftermath. It also helps that “The Party” is a wicked little wrestling match of wits that’s darkly hilarious and expertly timed. Writer/director Sally Potter serves up a lean, mean machine of a feature, reveling in social discomfort and the possibility of violence, using a setting of celebration to release the art-house Kraken of suppressed hostilities, giving gifted actors a chance to run wild with pure emotional escalation. 65 minutes is just right for this dip into domestic chaos.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com