By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.25
Director: Richard J. Lewis
Starring: Bruce Greenwood | Minnie Driver | Paul Giamatti | Rachelle LaFevre | Rosamund Pike | Scott Speedman
Country: canada, italy
Year: 2011
Running time: 134
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1423894/
Thom says: “Adapted from the Mordechai Richler (who sadly passed before this film was released) novel this film does have loads of charm that tried very hard to overcome the basically obnoxious protagonist. Barney Panofsky is a very successful Canadian television producer of a long-running soap of dubious quality. The film hop scotches through his life at various times. At an earlier point he’s living in Spain with a group of friends. He marries a girl who’s he’s supposedly impregnated who later commits suicide. His 2nd wife is a rich Jewish woman that he never really loves, and, in fact, he meets the love of his life on his wedding day to the 2nd wife. Through his 2nd marriage he pursues the heartfelt love and through some absurd occurrences he finally obtains his dream lady. A mysterious killing (accidental?) wends its way through the story (and it’s never adequately resolved) and the film eventually comes to a maudlin ending. Director Lewis has done nearly all his earlier work in television and he ably overcomes this usual impediment. Giamatti is really good, but then he always is. I had trouble in understanding what any of his wives saw in him as he was truculent, petulant, and unappealing. Money apparently does speak volumes. Dustin Hoffman is memorable as Barney’s retired-policeman dad. Jake Hoffman (Dustin’s son) plays his grandson here. I liked the periodic qualities of the film although occasionally I found myself wondering what time span the film was in now. 3 1/2 cats”
Michael says: “Maybe I was in the right mood, but I found BARNEY’S VERSION to be a lovely romance, bolstered by terrific performances that lifted the film above the standard, life story based on what I presume was a semi-autobiographical novel by Mordecai Richler. Paul Giamatti plays Barney, a lovable curmudgeon, who marries too easily, drinks too much, and sometimes behaves badly. As the film opens, he is seen harassing his ex-wife’s new husband by calling him at 3 in the morning, then going to work the next morning as the producer of a long-running Canadian soap (cameos by Paul Gross, as a mountie, in what is surely a nod to Gross’ TV hit ‘Due South’ and Atom Egoyan as the show’s director, are quite fun). The film then flashes back to his youth in Italy, where we meet his bohemian friends, and the woman who would become his first wife. Scott Speedman, plays Boogie, a budding novelist with a drug problem, and is Barney’s best friend. When his first marriage ends in tragedy, Barney ends up relocating to Canada where he begins his long career as a television producer. He is smitten by the wealthy woman who would become his second wife, played ably by Minnie Driver, but has the misfortune of meeting Miriam, the true love of his life, on his wedding day. A bizarre second tragedy involving his friend Boogie, frees him from his marital commitment, and he is able to finally complete his pursuit of Miriam, which results in his third, and longest lasting marriage. They share a happy married life for twenty or so years, but Barney’s insecurity and reckless behavior put an end to that marriage, leaving him adrift and longing to recapture the woman who gave his life purpose. The film ends on a poignant note, which some may view as depressing, but taken over the course of a lifetime, Barney had a pretty good life, better than many ever achieve.
“The film is packed with strong performances, from the enthusiastic Driver, the ne’er-do-well drifter Speedman, and the always outstanding Giamatii, but the real revelation for me was the exquisite Rosamund Pike as Miriam. Her soft-spoken, genuine performance was light years away from the shallow Helen who she nailed in AN EDUCATION, underscoring a talented actress who deserves the many roles imdb has listed as coming soon. Dustin Hoffman also puts in a memorable performance as Barney’s father, and it’s always a pleasure to see Bruce Greenwood, this time as the threat to Barney’s paradise, who ends up marrying Miriam after their marriage ends. Also great in a small role was Rachelle Lefevre, who played a young trader in the under appreciated television show ‘Swingtown.’
“Unlike Thom, I thought the mysterious death mid-way through the film was quite adequately resolved in a sweet and inventive twist at the film’s conclusion. Since COLD SOULS, I’ve put Paul Giamatti on my list of actors whose films I will always try to see, and in the case of BARNEY’S VERSION, I’m truly glad I did. While there are a variety of elements included in this film, the gentle, and incredibly sweet love story between Barney and Miriam makes a powerful core and I recommend a viewing on DVD. 4 cats”
Marilyn says: “As I read your review I was reminded of why I cannot give this movie more than 2 cats….It is very busy, a bit contrived, with only brief humor. I did not get all those Canadian connections so I missed the inside jokes. Some of the acting was good, even very good at times but not all. I did like Rosamund Pike and of course, Dustin Hoffman always elevates any scene he is in. I was not so pleased that Barney found true romance with Miriam having been a bit of a cad with every other woman he knew. You are also very forgiving of his ‘bad behaviors’ while I could not simply over-look them….’boys will be boys’….maybe it is a ‘girl’ thing. I always enjoy seeing Giamatti and usually like his characters but somehow, he is becoming himself, so like Woody Allen. Ouch!”