The Party

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2:11

The Party

R

2018

1h 11m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

161 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

A comedy of tragic proportions.

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Critics Consensus

Old-fashioned charm meets sharp wit and modern social satire in The Party, a biting comedy carried by a shining performance from Patricia Clarkson.

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Roxana Hadadi

Pajiba

May 7, 2018

This would have worked better as a play, probably, because the setting is so sparse, the performances so compact, and the dialogue so forceful.

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Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

Apr 11, 2018

4/5

We're in great company and the story's physical confines don't restrict its range or ambitions. As well as dissecting a 30-year marriage, Potter's script takes in the state of Britain today.

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Cary Darling

Houston Chronicle

Mar 2, 2018

2.5/5

There are moments, mostly in the latter half, when the ensemble works well together and Thomas, especially, gets to shine as her world falls apart. But these elements aren't enough to justify attending this "Party."

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Cynthia Fuchs

AWFJ.org

Nov 30, 2021

What The Party does best is to expose your own efforts to interpret, to know, to be aware of what's at stake.

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Anne Brodie

AWFJ.org

Nov 30, 2021

Sally Potter's scathing social satire The Party, shot in black and white in three claustrophobic rooms is a gem, and thankfully short given the compression of nerves and tears and emotion.

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Moira Sullivan

AWFJ.org

Nov 30, 2021

These have significance for each of the scenes and are inseparable from the images. With the exception of a British anthem, the selections are recorded by international artists - arias, ballads, jazz and rhythm and blues, ska, and tango.

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Rudy A

@RT31870702 Jul 14, 2026

A cast of brilliant actors in a smart comedy about a social evening gone terribly wrong.

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Alain E

@AlainE Jul 2, 2026

Didn’t grab my attention. Felt artificial.

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Nancy W

@Nancy1951 Jun 30, 2026

I get that this is a film devoid of horrific violence and graphic sez, but this film should be rated at 90%. Sharp, crisp dialogue delivered by great acting, it's also a suspenseful ride that changes lanes, speed and routing!

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Christina C.

@Christina71 Oct 9, 2025

The ending gave the two stars. Other than that it reminded me of a Mamet movie like a stage play. Didn’t hold my attention.

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Osamah A.

@O23x_ Jul 21, 2025

Watching this film, I had the impression that it would be a heavily scripted dramatic movie. However, it turned out to be quite different. At times, it was funny, while at others, it was simply easygoing.

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John F

@RT84127024 Jul 2, 2025

Perhaps missing something but overall is pretty good given the fine performances. Perhaps wanted to see Murphy more on screen but Spall makes up for it with a hilarious and yet complicated performance.

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Sally Potter

Director

Patricia Clarkson

April

Bruno Ganz

Gottfried

Cherry Jones

Martha

Emily Mortimer

Jinny

Cillian Murphy

Tom

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The Party: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

A comedy of tragic proportions.

Director: Sally Potter
Producer: Christopher Sheppard, Kurban Kassam
Screenwriter: Sally Potter
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Production Co: Adventure Pictures, Copenhagen Film Fund, Oxwich Media
Rating: R (Language and Drug Use)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 16, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 10, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $748.9K
Runtime: 1h 11m
Aspect Ratio: IMAX (Scope (2.35:1))

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