I initially saw "Barney's Version," having never heard of it, at its New York premiere, expecting Dustin Hoffman to be there. He wasn't, but, that night, I experienced something I never had before (I'm 60). Yes, I had never cried so much from a film after laughing so much from the same film. Paul Giamatti wuz robbed, as he shoulda won the Oscar. Sure, Colin Firth was excellent, but Paul's acting was on a level that we experience perhaps once in a decade. Dustin is as terrific as he was in "Midnight Cowboy" & "Rain Man"--only subtler. Rosamund Pike, wearing auburn wigs throughout the film, is wonderful--a former Bond girl and Oxford graduate from England (in real life) as the most desirable woman one could ever imagine--brains, beauty, body, & wit to boot--the very essence of tranquility. I think that, for example, Jack Nicholson, Bette Davis, and Katharine Hepburn is/were great. However, there is/was always a bit of Jack, Bette & Kate in all their films and in real life. Rosamund transcends that trio, because she has created, with amazing intensity and with an American accent, someone who could never exist, except in our hearts and minds. And in every one of her scenes, it is virtually impossible to look at anyone else. There is a scene, immediately after the protagonist's second wedding, that I found to be the most exciting of my life. Too bad I can't give it away. Well, I can, but that wouldn't be nice. Minnie Driver, as wife # 2 (of 3), is simply marvelous--acting at its peak. Many supporting players are superb as well. I'll single out Harvey Atkin, as Barney's second father-in-law, Thomas Trabacchi, as Barney's close friend from Italy, and Scott Speedman, as Barney's heroin & cocaine-using & opium & hashish-smoking best friend. This film is Barney's version of what occurred in order to refute a retired detective's memoir that accused Barney of murder. But the possible murder is far from the focal point of the film. Much more important is Barney's romance with the love of his life. Luckily, we get to observe, mostly through flashbacks, the final 36 years of his amazing life (beginning at age 30) and the ending ranks as one of the greatest ever--right up there with that of "2001: A Space Odyssey." By the way, I've read the novel & the screenplay, but I prefer the finished product of the film most of all. As of October 30, 2011, I've seen it 31 times, but I'm sure that number will change.
Barney's Version is at its heart the life of Barney Panofsky, a Jewish man from Montreal who seems at once blessed by fate with opportunities but cursed by flaws that ultimately undo him. Irascible and impulsive, he has a charm that endears even as his behavior often appalls. He has the gift of recognizing the spark of creative genius in others but is seemingly incapable of producing it himself, spending most of his adult life as a producer of a long-running (and painfully banal) Canadian TV soap opera Constable O'Malley of the North through his company, the sardonically-named Totally Unnecessary Productions.
The film begins with Barney, on the eve of celebrating his soap opera's 30th year of production, having to contend with the publication of a book by an ex-cop purporting to reveal how Barney is guilty of murder. What follows is Barney's Version of the events of his life, starting with his semi-hedonistic hanging about with friends in Europe when he was in his 20's, quickly careening through two disastrous marriages until he meets the one true love of his life, Miriam, who's a guest at his second wedding.
As a film, Barney's Version suffers from the choices made for the adaptation by the scriptwriter Michael Konyves, both in terms of the framing, which reduces the overall impact that came across in the novel, and in the reductions and compressions which make some of the characters come across as two-dimensional and others at times baffling in terms of their actions and decisions.
But all that said, it is still a movie well worth seeing for the great cast that manage for the most part to overcome the shortcomings of the script and for particularly fine performances by Paul Giamatti as Barney; Rosamund Pike as his third ex-wife (and only real love), Miriam; Dustin Hoffman as his loving but embarrassingly coarse father, Izzy; and Scott Speedman as his friend Boogie, a gifted but spectacularly self-destructive writer whom Barney is suspected of murdering.
It is worth noting that for his performance in Barney's Version, Giamatti won the Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical. His performance is truly what makes the film work as he manages to bring out all of the qualities that make Barney at once sympathetic his impulsiveness, his capacity for grand gestures, his ability to love and yet annoyingly pathetic his passive-aggressiveness, his insecurities, and his inability to realize when he's screwing up. Giamatti seems to slip effortlessly from one to the other, putting Barney Panofsky with all of his human gifts and frailties on full display. And the film itself was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Makeup as it had to show Giamatti as Barney aging from his 20's through his 60's. It's subtle but well-done, making you feel that you're really seeing his life as it happened.
On a side-note, Canadian film buffs may spot cameos by a number of Canadian directors: Atom Egoyan (as an early director of Barney's soap opera), David Cronenberg (as a later director of the soap), Paul Gross (as a star in the soap), and Denys Arcand (as the Maître'D at Barney & Miriam's last luncheon). And if you notice a surprisingly strong resemblance between Barney's father, Izzy, and his son, Michael (as an adult), it's because Michael is played by Jake Hoffman, who is Dustin Hoffman's real-life son. And Barney's daughter as a young girl is played by Simone Richler.
Definitely recommended as an entertaining and engaging film.
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BARNEY'S VERSION is one of those movies that critics love. They talk about the depth of the story, the fantastic acting, the way the movie felt and looked. And for once those who would discuss these and others items of the film have it right. This is one fine movie.Paul Giamatti stars as Barney Panofsky, a studio producer looking back at his life. When it opens we see him doing his best to disrupt the life of his ex-wife by calling her husband at 3AM. From there we see him stopping at his favorite bar only to be hassled by an ex-police detective who's just released a book about the murder of Barney's best friend Boogie (Scott Speedman), a murder that the detective still believes Barney committed. But the body was never found. This confrontation leads to Barney's reflecting on his life.
We're taken back to the early 70s when Barney was living in Europe surrounding himself with bohemian friends all interested in art. But this isn't a world Barney can be a part of, just an observer of. He marries a free spirit believing he is the father of her child only to part ways with her once the baby is lost and he discovers there was no way he was the father. On a binge with his friend Boogie, he misses a message and goes to his wife only to find she's committed suicide.
Barney returns to Canada where he gets work with his uncle and eventually becomes a studio head. Along the way he is introduced to a young woman who catches his eye played by Minnie Driver. This woman is a non-stop talker whose father is a wealthy man. He also possesses the attitudes of such a man, greatly displayed when a dinner for the two prior to their marrying is held. Barney's father Izzy (Dustin Hoffman), an ex-cop, is invited to dinner only to have Driver's father offer him angry glances and demeaning comments.
At the wedding things are going as planned. Barney's friends are there, the party is in full swing and much heavy drinking follows. While watching the hockey game at the reception, and after far too many drinks, Barney is told that his father in law has made comments about his own father. Heading to have it out with the man, he gets a glimpse of a woman that he finds amazing. After the confrontation with his father in law finishes, he meets this woman, Miriam (Rosamund Pike). Enamored with her, he follows her to the train station and asks her to run off with him. She turns him down but remains in his heart.
The story continues involving all of these characters but to attempting to describe the story without giving away too much is just ridiculous. Suffice to say that Barney does lead and interesting life. And he eventually finds an amazing love that stays with him forever. But with each step he takes, Barney seems destined to screw things up. He doesn't want to, it just seems that he always takes the wrong turn.
The film won an Oscar for make up and it was well deserved. The progression in age for Giamatti is amazing to watch. In one of the extras he discusses how much it helped his performance, giving him a reference point with which to grab hold of his character at that time in his life. Giamatti also won the Golden Globe for his performance here and he deserved that as well. This is one of the best things he's ever done.
The film may be a bit long for some, may take a while to unwind that today's fast paced movie goers might not want to sit for. But in doing so you'll find a full, rich story that is better than most told these days. And in the end you'll discover a few truly touching moments and that at the heart of it all is a love story that's as sweet as they come.
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All I can say is see this movie. I saw it in the theater and rarely do I buy films anymore. I had to have this one. After I saw it in the theater I posted on my Facebook page to see the movie. If anybody didn't like it I would refund their money. All I received were "thank yous" for recommending the film. To all of you that see it based on this review---You Are Welcome.Want Barney's Version (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2011) Discount?
If I could recommend one film, it would be "Barney's Version'. A film that creeps up on youat first laughing and then silently weeping. A marvel of a film with much to say, one of those films you think about long afterr the viewing.'Barney's Version' tells the story of a man not particularly talented or good looking or very rich, but a man who is greatly loved by a beautiful woman and that is a puzzle to many. Barney drinks much too much, smokes cigars, has a paunch, isn't there when she really needs him, but he has something that is palpable. Paul Giamatti plays Barney, and this is a wonder of his acting. He has picked roles of men who are not particularly distinguised, but he makes these men something to behold. Barney was married three times, once to a young woman who killed herself, the second time because the woman loved him, and on his wedding day he met the love of his life and pursued her until they were married. Two children and a wonderful life and then it falls apart. Barney never recovers, and as he ponders his life in flashbacks, we come to understand where he has been but not where he is going. Many lessons in this film, and it is sad that Barney never really gets to understand these lessons.
Paul Giamatti's performance is remarkable, a performance that deserved the Oscar. The nuance of his acting is so beautiful. He reminded me of a friend.
Highly Recommended. prisrob 08-12-11
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