Only reason im not giving this full marks is because I wasn't sure where it was going for a moment. It all becomes a bit messy for a second. In the end though it's a neatly wrapped greek tragedy with a great cast. Loved it!

I really really tried, I did - I mean Cillian Murphy - you could watch it just to look at him couldn't you? Well the answer for me was no no no - no plot - no likeable or even relatable characters - no nothing. Gave up after 20 gruelling minutes.

An all-star cast shine a little light on the true story of the internal power struggle in the days following the death of Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin.It all starts innocently enough - after the first shots of a broken Janet (Thomas) pointing a gun at the camera - with vol-au-vents in the oven. The titular party is meant to celebrate her rise to be the Government minister for an unnamed political opposition, but her husband Bill (Spall) doesn't seem to be himself as he sits in the living room nursing a glass of red wine. As more guests arrive to join the festivities, long kept secrets begin to tumble into the light culminating in an ending that will leave you laughing over the end credits.And that's what surprised me the most; it's a comedy, I was expecting that, but I wasn't expecting it to be as funny as it was knowing it's also an ultimately tragic story. The stinging one-liners and friendly barbs coming from her guests (who happen to work for her rival, politically speaking) hide the bile and baggage they have each brought to this once-jovial event. Even the host has secrets of her own which she keeps well-hidden (at least from her guests) until the gut-busting closing scenes.The whole film takes place in a house and its tiny patio garden, meaning the audience feel as trapped in the goldfish bowl of upper-middle class pomp as the guests do by the time the third or fourth revelation is revealed. Throughout the hour-long ordeal (for it is only 71 minutes including credits) Bill is constantly fidgeting with his record player, swapping a jazz LP for a bluesy vinyl, thereby giving the soundtrack to the film as the drama unfolds on screen in real time.The Party is a film which some will like and some will loath, depending on whether you can sit through a 'talky piece' and pick out the wittiness. The cast is superb, the comedy is handled well among the dramatic moments, and the entire film culminates at the end to leave the audience reeling from the final reveal ... with a gasp and a laugh.Best Quote: "Tickle an aromatherapist and you find a fascist."

It's ironic that Clarkson's character accuses her husband of the overuse of cliche. These wonderful screen actors try so hard but they can only do so much with this predictable, hackneyed script. Not sure why but I was especially disappointed with the title. This was never going to be a party.