The Party, film review: a lesson for champagne socialists everywhere

Writer-director Sally Potter is on the money in this empathetic skewering of middle-class socialism
Double parked: Timothy Spall, Cillian Murphy, Emily Mortimer and Patricia Clarkson
Charlotte O'Sullivan14 November 2017

Patricia Clarkson is one of my favourite actors. The 57-year-old American has a special knack for delivering put-downs (as demonstrated in the indie classic High Art). Here, as a woman called April in a twisty, black farce that revolves around a high-octane, London-based soirée, she insults all and sundry. April’s the life and troll of the party.

Who knew writer-director Sally Potter could do funny? Some of her films are a joke, which is different. Let’s draw a veil over The Man Who Cried and simply agree that, until now, Potter has kept her sense of humour where few could find it.

Kristin Scott Thomas (never better) is Janet, a caring, Left-ish politician who’s just become a shadow minister for health. She’s invited a group of friends over to celebrate and prepares vol-au-vents in the kitchen. During the next hour (events take place in real time) her smugness — and vol-au-vents — will go up in smoke.

When skewering the hypocrisy of the middle classes, writers often bugger things up by making everyone too loathsome. Or one person too honest. Potter avoids that trap. Janet’s husband, university professor Bill (Timothy Spall), has excellent taste in music and looks like a punctured rugby ball. Clearly alienated by his wife’s picture-perfect existence, he seems destined to become the voice of truth. But no. Though worthy of empathy, he’s a complete mess.

Meanwhile, even April is flawed. She mocks what others do but doesn’t seem to have a job herself. In other words, she’s all talk. Given that the action is confined to a few rooms, The Party is bound to be described as stagey. Luckily, thanks to the black-and-white visuals (a bit noir, a bit Fellini), it doesn’t look like a play. The monochrome, too, suits the middle-aged leads; we’re being reminded, gently, that Janet et al are stylish relics.

Since the script was written when Ed Miliband was Labour leader, some might argue that the film itself is old hat. Corbyn’s resurgence has changed everything. Or has it? The Party identifies a problem, which is that most Lefties over the age of 30 want to own their own home and, every now and again, sip champagne. Which infuriates aspirational proles, represented by Irish banker Tom (Cillian Murphy, excellent). Potter is all but sending a message: Dear Socialists, step away from the champagne. I laughed until I cried.

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