Barry Lyndon (1975)

Barry Lyndon is one of the most captivating single-man journeys I've ever endorsed. The coinciding messages about the effect poverty or wealth can have upon an individual's character, ambitions, and actions are marvelously exhibited. The film's finale is as exhilarating as it is inventive, and proves itself as one of Kubrick's finest cinematic sequences. The narration the movie offers however, feels glaringly unecessary, but despite that, every other aspect of Barry Lyndon is all you could ever hope for in a Kubrick gem. (Verdict: A)

When people say the Stanley Kubrick's movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, and Full Metal Jacket, Barry Lyndon is the most underrated of his work. In fact, at the beginning of the premiere of The Shining, it is found that a lot of criticism towards the film until becoming a cult-classic masterpiece of the critics and directors who make it as an influence for their film. I unusually hear people state according to this movie when asked what is their Stanley Kubrick favorite works. Almost all of them said The Shining or 2001: A Space Odyssey until Barry Lyndon as overlaid by the films. By any means, I love all his films after first watching The Shining until 2001: A Space Odyssey. For myself, Barry Lyndon seems to be a little forgotten considering there are so many great filmmakers who make it as their favorite films such as Ridley Scott and Martin Scorsese.And as always, Barry Lyndon is adapted from an 1844 novel entitled The Luck Of Barry Lyndon by William Makepeace Thackeray. First of all, three hours is a challenge for movie lovers especially if they don't like the genre, the atmosphere, or the slow pace. Honestly, Barry Lyndon involves things like that to me but it's interesting to keep up with the story. The plot is so slow and there is always a silent scene until the characters are doing a slow movement. Although these circumstances affect Barry Lyndon, this movie doesn't change the possibility that the storyline which is created to be something the most interesting and beautiful ever. The atmosphere and the setting that reminds me of a game called Assassin's Creed III is able to keep me on track as long as the movie apart from this is a boring historical drama.If you look closely at the screen, you can see how clearly Stanley Kubrick designed the attractive property and cinematography from the fascinating costumes, atmosphere, the dialogue of the 18th century, it such as witnessing a real history back then and we enjoyed in the present times. For more details, you can pause this movie whatever you do it and you seems like looking at classic wall paintings in realistic images and illustrated on a wall which is a movie. The story makes me always think and feel that someone's life seems to be running gently, just like what Redmond experienced from his life from a farming boy, being a soldier, being a spy, to becoming a part of the royal family. This point is an interesting thing in all aspects because we don't know what will happen next. In essence, it's unpredictable and always draws unexpected astonishments.When talking about Stanley Kubrick, he always inserted an important message in it whether it's a sci-fi movie which fascinated about philosophy, a war movie which allows us to wonder what is mean, a dark-comedy satire movie but deviates from everything. Barry Lyndon is a film of the concept about someone who remains without a direction. This is the story of Redmond Barry starting from his journey without direction to find the things that are speculated and become a noble who wants to always find a sense of satisfaction until getting a retribution. Just as humans which are never satisfied with such things. In this case, Barry is a description of a person who has been lost in his life, lost in his love story, his friends, and society. When he got through it, Barry wasn't satisfied with what he had found. It can also be known from the explanation of the narrator who'll explain it from the beginning to the end. So, most of the plot of the story you can understand through the narrative providing which it uses first and third point of view.In all aspects, I can't look for the flaws and mistakes of this movie. However, my minor problem is some of the characters are missing. For example Nora Brady and John Quin who had a perception at the beginning, their character was mentioned in the middle of the story but never appeared where making it pointless. For all of the characters, I don't think there's any constraint in the aspect. The depth of the story which is told in this film not only that but from the use of music that feels thick and feeling like the atmosphere of the 18th century, the cinematography which often shows close-up to zoom out which has its own meaning, until the use of lighting and the atmosphere in this movie that feels the details.Ryan O'Neal as Barry Lyndon is so phenomenal. He is able to make a sympathy towards the audience subjectively to his character that feels familiar with reality. Marisa Berenson as Lady Honoria Lyndon isn't too great but able to show her facial expression with a very stunning without using a rich dialogue. Leon Vitali as Lord Bullingdon is so amazing as a young kid that represents a plot of revenge and envy of his life being snatched away by a person. One scene, especially at the final duel shootout between Barry and Lord Bullingdon, is such the best of all from the use of the block, the intense atmosphere is raised little by little, until the unpredictable character who will win. Of all these aspects, Barry Lyndon by far is one of my favorite Stanley Kubrick I've ever seen regardless of its pace that so slow and a very long duration.

This movie is lavish and all the acting is first-rate except for one role.... the lead, Redmond Barry, played by Ryan O'Neal, who has all the talent of a rotted-out wooden log.Try to get past O'Neal's one expression throughout the film and savor the fine acting performances of the entire rest of the cast as well as the fine sets and costumes.

Quite possibly the longest three hours of my life. Every few years I give this movie another go and after it's over I ask myself why did I bother. It is a beautiful movie to look at. There's no denying that. But it's a movie filled with uninteresting characters. I very quickly lose an interest in Barry Lyndon and what he's up to. The main problem is Ryan O'Neal. He's not a good enough actor to pull this movie off. I do enjoy many of his movies but this one is out of his league. Two hours into it today my daughter walked in the room and asked "Why are you watching this? It looks like a painting?" Well said.