Barney's Version (2011)

it's first time for me to write anything about a movie,i mean in IMDb,and i didn't expect to happen for a film with 7.3 point :) this movie claims more thumbs up than this and i want to do something to help the movie to increase auditions. i don't know why ! this 2 hours and 14 minute film makes u think twice,about any step u made and will make... it is a novel by frames and images. it was forgotten in the film basket of mine,but after watch,rise and comes above the list of favourites . a movie full of warmth,love,touching...and finally i must say this movie is a acting heaven. Giamati and Pike make u laugh and cry,sometimes same time.so strange to see the 7.3 point..for this masterpiece.

That it is adapted from a lengthy but insightful and entertaining book and that there is a great cast are Barney's Version's main attractions, and for this viewer it did not disappoint. The book is also very vast in scope and is not easy to adapt, the film does a very bold job with the adapting even if due to only being just over 2 hours in length there was a fair bit of truncating. It's not entirely successful, there was a sense that the film did try to cram in a bit too much at first, making the odd part of the first half a tad hasty pace-wise, but on the most part it does succeed and is a very good film on its own terms.Barney's Version is very well-made, always attractively photographed with striking locations and the film contains some of the best ageing make-up I've ever seen on film. The soundtrack consists of some interesting and varied songs that match the film well, particularly good was the poignant use of Leonard Cohen's Dance Me to the End of Love. And while the script mayn't be for everyone's tastes(admittedly it does ramble on at times), it certainly worked for me. The dialogue is literate and subtle but also snappy and hilarious, the best lines coming from Hoffman and Pike, while the book understandably does a better job balancing smart comedy, insight into relationships and emotional tragedy the film also balances them successfully with an often poignant second half. The story is not hard to follow at all, is well-paced on the whole and is interestingly and beautifully told, again the comedy and tragedy being well-balanced(the scene with Miriam being handed Barney's wallet with the wedding seating card with her words is incredibly emotional). It's solidly directed and while the characters are not likable as such that was not the intention. What's more important is if they're interesting and in Barney's Version they are, Barney while seemingly irredeemable is a compellingly real character that I found myself relating to in the latter stages of the film. Even other characters are seemingly placid on the surface there is a great deal of complexity, particularly Miriam. The acting is superb, especially from a truly outstanding Paul Giamatti in a performance that in his career has only been bettered in Sideways. In support, particularly good are a hilarious Dustin Hoffman and Rosamund Pike who radiates visually(she's rarely looked more beautiful on film, although she is one of the most naturally beautiful living actresses) and gives a performance that is snappy and enchanting. Scott Speedman and Bruce Greenwood do just fine too, and Minnie Driver while with not much screen-time and a caricature character looks like she is enjoying herself, making the most of her humorous lines.To conclude, a very good film that is especially so for the acting. 8/10 Bethany Cox

The main character was utterly loathsome. I didn't want to spend an hour watching him, let alone an overly-long 2 1/4 hours. There were no sympathetic characters; I hated the Paul Giamatti (an actor I hate in everything he does) character and hated all of the others for not hating him.Dustin Hoffman redeemed this movie, his moments in it were great. But there was absolutely nothing else.The movie was largely a plot less character study of an obnoxious character. The only real plot element was the death of the friend, Boogie. I'm not going to give away the way this element of plot is resolved, but I didn't get the point at all when I saw the movie, only when I googled it did I realize that the one scene with the airplane was resolving this plot element. Maybe if I'd read the novel it would have been more clear.Why are we supposed to love hateful destructive characters? I don't, and never have.

I saw the movie last night and i got carried away with the acting,story and above all I felt the massage of this film saying "Let the life goes by flow",God had design the destiny of all human being accordingly. Barney got desire and ego to get the girl he liked "its a saying 'To get is easy but to maintain its not that easy' and the question is 'I want to marry that gal' but the answer will be 'Can U Handle It?". Barney tried his luck he got what he wanted but at the end he can't handle it. In this story line what I was not happy the response of Miriam Grant by not forgiving her husband and never give him a second chance,nobody is perfect in this world as he already spoke the truth by saying he was doing without feeling,she should give another chance to him looking at his loyalty for the family in the past,the rest was fantastic story..I like and impressed with this movie.Thank you.