Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
On Quartile, The Party scores 6.5/10 across five categories — strongest on Plot (Above Average), weakest on Novelty (Below Average).
Various individuals think they’re coming together for a party in a private home, but a series of revelations results in a huge crisis that throws their belief systems – and their values – into total disarray.
Sally Potter's chamber piece is elevated primarily by its ensemble cast — Kristin Scott Thomas, Timothy Spall, Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz and others deliver sharp, witty performances in a confined space. The black-and-white photography is stylish but relatively conventional for this kind of theatrical comedy. The plot follows a fairly familiar 'dinner party unraveling' structure, though the sharp political and ideological skewering gives it some bite. The ending deflates somewhat into farce. Overall a well-acted but modestly conceived piece.