movie review barney's version

Drinks too much, smokes too much, can charm a little

Paul Giamatti and Dustin Hoffman.

“Barney’s Version” tells the story of a man distinguished largely by his flaws and the beautiful woman who loves him in spite of them. What she sees in him I am not quite sure. He is a precariously functioning alcoholic and chain smoker of cigars, balding and with a paunch, a producer of spectacularly bad television shows, and a fanatic hockey fan. Since he lives in Montreal, many good women might forgive the hockey, but he is also hostile toward her friends, rude at dinner parties, and has bad taste in ties.

Barney Panofsky is played by Paul Giamatti , who just won a Golden Globe for his performance. It is successful not simply because of his acting but because of his exuding. He has a sweet quality that just barely allows us to understand why three women, the last of them a saint, would want to marry him. It’s not money: He’s broke when he marries the first, the second is rich in her own right, and the third is so desirable that Barney actually walks out of his own wedding reception to chase her to the train station and declare his love at first sight.

“Barney’s Version” is based on a 1997 novel by Mordecai Richler , whose The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1959) is also the life story of a flawed but lovable Jewish character from Montreal. Barney’s story is told in retrospect, in the form of a response to a book written by a cop who is convinced Barney murdered his best friend. How the friend probably did die is suggested in a nicely handled late scene that Barney himself, by the time he experiences it, is not able to understand.

Having once in middle age forgotten where he parked his car, Barney progresses rather rapidly into Alzheimer’s, although most of the film involves scenes before that happens. Since this isn’t a movie about the disease, we might ask why it’s included at all, but I think it functions as a final act in a life that was itself forgettable. Nothing distinguishes Barney, except his romanticism and the woman who inspires it.

She is Miriam ( Rosamund Pike ), an ethereal beauty with a melodious voice and a patience with Barney that surpasses all understanding. They have two children, they live happily, Barney remains a mess, and at important moments in her career, he would rather be getting drunk in a bar while watching hockey than being there for her. Yet he cannot live without her, and when she goes to New York for a week he becomes reckless with loneliness.

I haven’t read the much-loved novel by Richler, which is told in Barney’s voice and has been compared by some to Saul Bellow’s Herzog. The novel is said to be richer and more complex than the movie, but having only seen the movie, I can respond favorably to what it does achieve.

Giamatti’s performance is one of those achievements. He is making a career of playing unremarkable but memorable men; remember his failed wine lover in “ Sideways ,” his schleppy Harvey Pekar in “ American Splendor ” and his soul-transplant victim in “ Cold Souls .” (What he plans in his announced project “Bubba Nosferatu: Curse of the She-Vampires” is a question worthy of consideration.) Giamatti’s Barney is not especially smart or talented or good-looking, but he is especially there — a presence with a great depth of need that apparently appeals to the lovely Miriam. She’s one of those women who seems unaware that everyone must constantly be asking, “What does she see in him?” That women persist in seeing things in us, as men we must be grateful.

Dustin Hoffman is very good here as Barney’s father, a retired Montreal detective who imparts wisdom, but not too excessively, and love, but not too smarmily. The bond between elderly father and aging son is cemented by good cigars, which I have seen work in other cases. There is a lot of truth in “Barney’s Version.” It is a mercy that Barney cannot see most of it.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Rosamund Pike as Miriam
Minnie Driver as Mrs. P
Rachelle Lefevre as Clara
Paul Giamatti as Barney
Bruce Greenwood as Blair
Dustin Hoffman as Izzy
Saul Rubinek as Charnofsky
Mark Addy as Constable O’Hearne
Scott Speedman as Boogie
Michael Konyves

Based on the novel by

Mordecai Richler

Directed by

Richard J. Lewis

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Movie Review | 'Barney’s Version'

Maybe a Dinosaur, Just Not Purple

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By A.O. Scott

Dec. 2, 2010

Barney Panofsky, a Montreal policeman’s son, meets his third wife at his second wedding, a gilded gala that he stumbles into halfway between his wayward bohemian youth and his distempered dotage. Barney, played with shambling energy and vulgar elegance by Paul Giamatti , catches a sudden, breathtaking glimpse of Miriam (Rosamund Pike) and pretty much forgets about the unnamed ninny he has just married (even though she is played by the lovely Minnie Driver).

The initial source of Barney’s attraction is obvious enough and is only affirmed by the melodious FM-radio timbre of Miriam’s voice. You might, however, be tempted to wonder what she sees in him. In addition to being freshly married, he is short, tubby, badly groomed and drunk, brandishing a stubbed-out Montecristo cigar along with his hackneyed pickup lines.

The answer to this riddle comes obliquely later that same evening, when Barney chases Miriam down aboard a train about to leave Montreal for New York, where she lives. In her hands is a paperback copy of Saul Bellow’s “Herzog,” possession of which surely signals, at the very least, a high tolerance for vain, verbose and vulgar Jewish men.

Barney — the picaresque antihero of “Barney’s Version” — is, in more ways than one, a cousin of Bellow’s Moses Herzog. He is the last surviving fictional brainchild and alter ego of Mordecai Richler , a novelist who, like Bellow, was born in Quebec but who, unlike him, stayed there, turning Anglophone Jewish Montreal into a northern sister city of Augie March’s Chicago.

The volume that the future (and eventually former) Miriam Panofsky carries is one of many signs that the director, Richard J. Lewis, and the writer, Michael Konyves, of “Barney’s Version,” have done their homework. In winnowing Richler’s 1997 novel into a workable screen story they have preserved important details and added some new ones consistent with their version’s altered chronology. (Paris in the 1950s, when both Richler and the novel’s Barney sowed their oats and drank their wine, becomes Rome in the ’70s).

But the filmmakers have been, if anything, too dutiful, too careful, and the movie that results from their conscientious, devoted labor illustrates the terrible, paradoxical trap into which well-intentioned literary adaptations so often fall. Mr. Lewis (an executive producer and director for the television series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”), Mr. Konyves and the producer, Robert Lantos, display admirable patriotism as well as devotion to their source material.

“Barney’s Version” is explicitly dedicated to Richler’s memory, and also, by implication, to some of the cultural touchstones of his native land. It pays tribute to the Montreal Canadiens and also to a handful of Northern cinematic titans who traipse across the set in obliging cameo. Yes, that was David Cronenberg playing the hack director of a soap opera about a Mountie named O’Malley. And if you are likely to crack up at the sight of Denys Arcand (“The Decline of the American Empire”) playing a headwaiter — I confess I did — then “Barney’s Version” will not be a total loss.

The cast is beyond reproach. Selecting Dustin Hoffman to play Mr. Giamatti’s father is a stroke of genius, since it throws into relief the blend of intense seriousness and wry self-mockery that they have in common as screen performers. Scott Speedman twitches persuasively as Boogie, Barney’s gifted, drug-addicted best friend, and Rachelle Lefevre has some seductive moments as Barney’s first wife, Clara, whom he marries and loses in Rome. Bruce Greenwood, foreshadowed early, arrives late as the canoe-paddling vegan radio producer whom Miriam will marry after leaving Barney. (This spoils nothing, by the way. Most of the story is told in flashback, so that the denouement of Barney’s story is fairly clear at the start.)

It all sounds like the stuff of a pretty good movie: a crowd of interesting characters; a plot involving adultery, divorce, a grab bag of vices and even the possibility of murder; art, sex, religion, hockey. But the film plays more or less like a recitation of that list.

A few extended scenes, in which Mr. Lewis stops fussing to put every detail in place and stands back to let Mr. Giamatti spar one on one with another actor, have a vivid, unpredictable rhythm. Unfortunately they serve only to highlight just how inert the rest of the movie is, as if it were not Barney’s version of the story at all, but rather the wedding planner’s.

In spite of Mr. Giamatti’s ferociously energetic performance “Barney’s Version” never figures out just who Barney is. In Richler’s pages he is above all a voice — profane, sophisticated, tender, mean and funny — and the filmmakers prove unable to compensate for its absence. But their failure is more than just technical; in attempting to honor the spirit of the book, they extinguish it. It is a wild, unruly novel of character, in which the character himself is at once incorrigible and irresistible. The film tames and sentimentalizes him, and in showing respect for Barney’s author turns his creation into something unforgivably respectable.

“Barney’s Version” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). It has sex and sin, without feeling especially sexy or sinful.

Barney’s Version

Opens on Friday in New York and Los Angeles.

Directed by Richard J. Lewis; written by Michael Konyves, based on the novel by Mordecai Richler; director of photography, Guy Dufaux; edited by Susan Shipton; music by Pasquale Catalano; production design by Claude Paré; costumes by Nicoletta Massone; produced by Robert Lantos; released by Sony Pictures Classics. Running time: 2 hours 12 minutes.

WITH: Paul Giamatti (Barney), Dustin Hoffman (Izzy), Rosamund Pike (Miriam), Minnie Driver (second Mrs. P.), Rachelle Lefevre (Clara), Scott Speedman (Boogie), Bruce Greenwood (Blair), Macha Grenon (Solange), Denys Arcand (a head waiter) and David Cronenberg (a director).

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Barney's Version Reviews

Gives Paul Giamatti his most memorable part since Sideways

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jan 31, 2021

The film never coalesces, and despite the positive bits, the story is simply too long, too rambling, and too obvious to be completely successful.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Jul 13, 2020

If I was Barney, I would want to forget this movie too.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.8/5 | Nov 6, 2019

[T]he tone is light and the all-star cast play their parts to perfection.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 23, 2019

Michael Konyves' screenplay is all too conventional in its episodic structure and fluctuating emotional tone. Without any peaks of laugh-out-loud hilarity, you end up counting the seconds until the next quiet, serious conversation.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 6, 2018

Watching Barney search for happiness in the most graceless ways is uncomfortable at times, but his sincere personality peers through enough from behind his callous exterior to inspire sympathy for him without dismissing his countless flaws.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Jan 29, 2018

Messy, melodramatic and meandering, just like life.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jan 18, 2013

Giamatti and Hoffman are so much fun, and they are tied to a narrative that, while slightly overambitious, never flags

Full Review | Original Score: 71/100 | Aug 16, 2011

It's Giamatti's performance that makes the film work because Barney is not an easy man to like.

Full Review | Aug 16, 2011

Director Richard J. Lewis never quite gets a handle on the sprawling storyline and stumbles over the tonal shifts... but Giamatti holds the center together.

Full Review | Jul 1, 2011

A minor improvement over Mordecai Richler's nigh unreadable book...

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jul 1, 2011

Paul Giamatti is one of those actors whose presence in a movie generally validates it, and Barney's Version is no exception. He manages to make a central character with few-if any-admirable traits not only bearable but downright compelling. And...

Full Review | Jun 29, 2011

An initially engrossing but progressively rambling and schmaltzy film that's mostly saved by a set of fine, if not exceptional performances.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 21, 2011

Barney's Version starts fumblingly in picaresque mode, and only really hits its narrative and emotional stride in its second half.

Full Review | Apr 22, 2011

Giammatti is on the top of his game in this Pitch black comedy.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 13, 2011

If there's such a thing as a filmmaker treating its subject matter too affectionately, then this is that, and it makes you wonder why you should even keep watching.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Apr 4, 2011

The ever-impressive Paul Giamatti (American Splendour, John Adams) shines in this rambling Canadian character study.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 31, 2011

Mordecai Richler's 1997 acclaimed best seller novel is never fleshed out.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Mar 27, 2011

It takes a little while to warm up but Barney's Version is a charming film that will leave you reflecting on your own life.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Mar 24, 2011

True love and fine cigars feature in the charming Barney's Version, a blend of intelligent comedy and stirring drama headlined by a career best Paul Giamatti.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 23, 2011

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Barney’s version — film review.

This impeccably cast confessional, with a pitch-perfect Paul Giamatti leading the way, nimbly traverses the four decades in its lead character's eventful life with considerable exuberance, visual flair and, ultimately, grace.

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Acclaimed Canadian author Mordecai Richler’s last and arguably greatest novel, “Barney’s Version,” has been transformed into a highly entertaining and arguably the most satisfying Richler screen adaptation to date.

The impeccably cast confessional, with a pitch-perfect Paul Giamatti leading the way, nimbly traverses the four decades in its lead character’s eventful life with considerable exuberance, visual flair and, ultimately, grace.

The Bottom Line Empty

Produced by Robert Lantos, who brought Richler’s “Joshua Then and Now” to the big screen in 1985, and assuredly directed by Richard J. Lewis (“Whale Music”), the picture undoubtedly will draw kudos in its home and native land and likely beyond, buoyed by that virtuouso Giamatti performance.

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Barney's Version: movie review

In a lively adaptation of Mordecai Richler's book 'Barney's Version,' Paul Giamatti plays an incorrigible scamp who falls for the love of his life at his own wedding – among other escapades.

By Peter Rainer Film critic

January 14, 2011

The late Canadian novelist Mordecai Richler was so marvelously fecund that adapting one of his novels is almost tantamount to adapting Dickens. His books have so much character and incident that the necessary pruning for the screen is inevitably a diminishment.

And yet, what survives is often rich enough to warrant, however futile, the attempt. "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz ," which Richler himself adapted, is still the most extraordinary showcase ever mounted for Richard Dreyfuss 's hyperkinetic talents.

" Barney's Version ," based on Richler's 1997 novel, and starring Paul Giamatti in a shleppy-peppy role that is almost too comfortable for him, dispenses with that book's first-person approach, and so it seems somewhat flavorless. What's missing is not merely the narrator's voice, but an entire climate of feeling, a way of seeing, that poured through that voice.

Related: Ten best movies of 2010

We are left with a patchwork of sequences that often miss. Still, there's something to see. Giamatti's Barney Panofsky is an incorrigible scamp whose bohemian days in Rome (it was Paris in the novel) lead to a career in his native Montreal as a hack TV producer. Along the way he acquires a string of wives. The Second Mrs. P, as she is known, is played by Minnie Driver in full, shrill, Jewish-princess mode. If she had been made more sympathetic, the film would have traded easy laughs for a deeper rue when Barney, at their wedding, falls for one of the guests, Rosamund Pike 's imperially pretty Miriam (eventual Wife No. 3).

Still, falling for the love of your life at your own wedding is a ripe comic subject. Giamatti plays up Barney's increasingly gaga entrancements with such brio that, against all reason, you find it impossible to hate him.

Giamatti is matched by Dustin Hoffman in a supporting role as Barney's retired cop father, a man who regards the world and everything in it as suspect. These two are so perfectly paired that, at times, it's like watching a great old vaudeville team. Hoffman is almost unique among his generation of actors. Instead of attempting to remain high in the saddle, he's settled quite nicely into a career as a character actor, which is maybe what Hoffman always was. He's a character actor posing as a leading man.

If director Richard J. Lewis and his screenwriter Michael Konyves had stuck with these two, and dispensed with the extended material about Barney's implication in the murder of his novelist friend Boogie ( Scott Speedman ), they might have wreaked havoc with the novel but, at the same time, they could still have preserved the rollicky essence of Richler's mindscape. Still, it's not often these days that you encounter a movie with so many larger-than-life characters that wasn't shot in 3-D. Grade: B (Rated R for language and some sexual content.)

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Barney’s Version

A middle-tier marriage drama distinguished by an excellent Paul Giamatti.

By Justin Chang

Justin Chang

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The dizzying comic energy and intellectual vigor of Mordecai Richler’s 1997 satire have largely been drained from director Richard J. Lewis’ agreeable but inevitably lesser version of “Barney’s Version.” Absent the novel’s wildly entertaining digressions and chronological acrobatics, the strange, decades-spanning tale of Barney Panofsky — thrice-married Montreal Jew, hack TV producer and suspected killer — emerges onscreen as a middle-tier marriage drama distinguished by an excellent Paul Giamatti in a familiar curmudgeon role. Acquired by Sony Classics before its Venice and Toronto bows, the Canadian-Italian production faces an uphill battle connecting with smart, literate audiences.

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Richler’s tome takes the form of Barney’s memoir (written in response to a nemesis’ slanderous allegations), allowing the cantankerous 67-year-old to expound at length on everything from his days as a young bohemian in Paris to his later years spent in his native Montreal. Decidedly un-PC, full of blistering observations and hilarious vignettes, Barney is a classic Jewish pessimist, possessed of a withering intellect (compromised but not dulled by his increasing forgetfulness), an opportunistic worldview and a cynical appreciation of human pettiness — though he’s not beyond the reach of love or kindness, both exemplified by his beloved third wife, Miriam.

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Barely scratching the surface of this formidably dense text, Michael Konyves’ adaptation is overwhelmed by the challenge of squeezing some 40 years into a 132-minute narrative and, more crucially, capturing Barney’s voice. Temporal scope and authorial tone are always hard to nail onscreen, and given that Barney is a man of letters, defined more than anything by his way with language, something is irretrievably lost in the transition from literary first person to cinematic third person.

In one of the script’s many liberties, the book that stings Barney (Giamatti) into self-defense is written not by an embittered acquaintance, but by the detective (Mark Addy) who years ago investigated the disappearance of Barney’s best friend, Boogie (a fine Scott Speedman). Implicitly promising “Barney’s version” of what really happened, the film flashes back to 1974 Rome (changed from Paris, likely due to the picture’s Italian funding), where Barney, Boogie and other members of their boho circle frequent outdoor cafes and read each other’s unfinished manuscripts amid a haze of cigar smoke and promiscuity.

Barney’s first marriage, to crazy redheaded shiksa Clara (Rachelle Lefevre), ends almost before it’s begun. Shortly thereafter, Barney returns to Montreal and does his father (Dustin Hoffman) proud by proposing to a wealthy Jewish-American princess (Minnie Driver, gamely obnoxious). But their marriage is also destined to be short-lived, as Barney flees his own wedding night to pursue the heart-stoppingly beautiful Miriam (Rosamund Pike).

Barney aggressively courts Miriam from afar while the second Mrs. Panofsky descends into further depths of shrill Jewish caricature, leading to the pivotal moment of betrayal that results in Boogie’s accidental death. With a smoking gun but no corpse to implicate him, Barney gets a divorce and weds Miriam, who brings out a long-buried generosity and contentment in Barney over their years of marital bliss — that is, until Miriam, having sidelined her radio career to raise their two kids, goes back to work with a handsome colleague (Bruce Greenwood).

Directed with grace and efficiency by Canadian helmer Lewis (“CSI”), “Barney’s Version” is amusing, sparklingly acted and clearly a few IQ points above the norm. What it lacks is the sense of purpose and control that signify a work conceived in its natural medium. What felt on the page like the product of a bristling, combative consciousness plays here like a zany series of midlife crises, and the story’s dark undertow has been toned down to a reassuring shade of beige.

Still, if his Barney Panofsky doesn’t achieve the stature of the novel’s, Giamatti proves characteristically excellent company. No stranger to playing nebbishy malcontents, the thesp again excels at being likably unlikable, embracing Barney’s vices — selfishness, insecurity, a weakness for lust, booze and hockey — but also his surprising moments of warmth. It’s a marvelously elastic performance, and Giamatti ages believably over time (aided by varying degrees of baldness and mottled skin).

The same can’t be said for Pike, whose porcelain elegance doesn’t artificially age well; still, she’s lovely enough to warrant Barney’s obsessive pursuit, ably conveying Miriam’s infinite desirability in an underwritten part. Hoffman is charming as the elder Panofsky, a boisterous presence who embarrasses himself at every social occasion but retains a core of human decency that, in his movingly played scenes with Giamatti, feels believably passed down from one generation to the next.

D.p. Guy Dufaux’s lustrous images have a vibrant sense of color and texture, particularly in beautifully lit interiors, and Rome and Montreal locations are well utilized. While Canuck directors including Atom Egoyan and David Cronenberg are listed in the cast, only Denys Arcand seems to appear onscreen for more than a few seconds.

Canada-Italy

Production: A Sony Pictures Classics (in U.S.) release of a Serendipity Point Films presentation, in association with Fandango and Lyla Films, of a Robert Lantos production, in association with Telefilm Canada, Corus Entertainment, Astral Media, Sodec, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., the Harold Greenberg Fund, the Ontario Media Development Corp. (International sales: Essential Entertainment, Los Angeles.) Produced by Lantos. Executive producer, Mark Musselman. Co-producers, Domenico Procacci, Lyse Lafontaine, Ari Lantos. Directed by Richard J. Lewis. Screenplay, Michael Konyves, based on the novel by Mordecai Richler.
Crew: Camera (color), Guy Dufaux; editor, Susan Shipton; music, Pasquale Catalano; music supervisor, Liz Gallacher; production designer, Claude Pare; art director, Michele Laliberte; set decorator, Livia Borgognoni; costume designer, Nicoletta Massone; sound, Lou Solakofski; supervising sound editors, Jane Tattersall, Fred Brennan; re-recording mixers, Solakofski, Steph Carrier; visual effects supervisor, Louis Morin; visual effects supervisor, Modus FX; stunt coordinator, Jean Frenette; line producer, Gianluca Leurini; assistant directors, David Webb, Luigi Spoletini; second unit director, Pare; casting, Dierdre Bowen, Nina Gold, Pam Dixon. Reviewed at Venice Film Festival (competing), Sept. 4, 2010. (Also in Toronto Film Festival -- Gala Presentations; Hamptons Film Festival -- opener.) Running time: 132 MIN.
With: Barney - Paul Giamatti Miriam - Rosamund Pike 2nd Mrs. P - Minnie Driver Clara - Rachelle Lefevre Boogie - Scott Speedman Blair - Bruce Greenwood Constable O'Hearne - Mark Addy Charnofsky - Saul Rubinek Izzy - Dustin Hoffman With: Macha Grenon, Anna Hopkins, Jake Hoffman, Mark Addy, Thomas Trabacchi, Cle Bennett, Harvey Atkin, Massimo Wertmuller, Howard Jerome, Linda Sorensen, Paul Gross, David Cronenberg, Denys Arcand, Atom Egoyan, Ted Kotcheff. (English dialogue)

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Barney’s Version review

Paul Giamatti gives yet another unmissable performance in Barney’s Version, the story of an ordinary man who lives an extraordinary life. And then some...

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Please note: one or two mild spoilers are in this review, in case you’ve not heard them already. If you haven’t, you might want to steer clear until you’ve seen the film.

Paul Giamatti, actor par excellence, isn’t really one to shy away from difficult to play characters, or roles that embody the less pleasant side of human nature, and so it is with Barney Panofsky, Jewish Canadian TV producer and seeming all-round asshole.

Essentially a re-evaluation of a life lived to the full after a tell-all memoir accuses him of murder, Barney’s Version unravels the confusion of a lifetime of memories to reveal the truth about the death of his best friend, along with the well buried innate goodness of its central character.

Told through a series of flashbacks, the story encompasses some 40 years of Barney’s life, beginning in the present, with him as a middle-aged divorcee, and taking in Rome in the 60s, hippies and crazy first wife included, the biggest Jewish wedding you’ve ever seen, crazy second wife included, and the possibility that he is responsible for the death of his best friend, and everything in between.

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Based on the award-winning book of the same name by the late Mordecai Richler, it’s clear that the source material was incredibly rich. Drawing from four decades’ worth of material allows scriptwriter Michael Konyves to show a depth of character that is likely, in large part, thanks to its original incarnation. Whatever the reason, the script is pitch perfect.

Barney and all of the main characters are realistic, follow a believable progression, and rarely, if ever, depart from the authenticity of the universe they inhabit. Miriam, the love of Barney’s life, beautifully played by Rosamund Pike ( Die Another Day , The Libertine ), whom Barney meets at his own wedding reception, is, without doubt, the best example of that. Her initial reluctance, their subsequent marriage, and inevitable separation span the majority of the story. Beautifully handled, believable and often saddening, Pike’s portrayal is an outstanding piece of work.

This, however, is a movie full of fantastic performances. Barney’s graceless, ex-cop father, Izzy, played with relish by Dustin Hoffman, is one of the richest veins of comedy in the movie. Removing the stick from his ass was the best move Hoffman ever made, and he’s the perfect example of how a dedicated method actor can become a comic genius. Robert De Niro, take note. Hoffman’s death scene, while having very little to do with him, is one of the funniest, most moving scenes in the story, and the loss of his character’s presence echoes through the rest of the movie, so good is he.

The fantastic relationship between him and Barney is at the heart of the film, and the pair exhibits real warmth when sharing the screen. It’s an unusual take on a father/son relationship, at least in Hollywood, and all the more interesting for it. Izzy’s ‘I am what I am’ attitude is in complete contrast to his son’s constant need to be something more, and yet they complement each other perfectly.

‘The second Mrs P’, Minnie Driver ( Grosse Point Blank , An Ideal Husband ) appears to have taken a lesson or two from Hoffman on stick removal, and turns in one of the most interesting and funny performances of her career. As the spoiled Jewish princess that Barney essentially marries for money, this could well be Driver’s Tom Cruise/ Jerry Maguire moment, and it’s a pleasure to watch her finally give the kind of performance you always wish she had.

Her appearance in the story heralds the start of the darkest chapter in Barney’s life, and the reason for all the reflection. Soon after the wedding, she sleeps with his best friend,Boogie (Scott Speedman), a betrayal he not only witnesses, but is somewhat complicit in.

That same day, the friend disappears after a heated discussion about why it’s just not acceptable to sleep with your best friend’s wife. Barney ends up unconscious and Boogie is never heard from again. Subsequently, under suspicion of murder, the case is never proven, but when a tell-all memoir, written by the lead detective, is published, Barney is finally able to confront the truth about that horrific day, and the guilt he carries because of it.

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Sadly, not long after discovering the truth, he is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The vital, gruff Barney slowly disappears, and all the people that love him are finally able to get close to a man who was never able to really accept that anyone would want to.

The Alzheimer’s is sensitively handled, with a touch of humour, and provides some of the most moving scenes of the film. Having praised the supporting cast for their amazing performance, you shouldn’t be in any doubt that this is Giamatti’s movie. From the young, energetic Barney through to the debilitated older man, this is a role tailor-made for the man, and showcases his not inconsiderable talents perfectly.

An absorbing, beautifully crafted movie, funny and moving, often at the same time, Barney’s version quietly manages to achieve what so many other movies can’t. It does justice to a great story, and does it effortlessly.

As with everyone, Barney’s life is a chaotic, fantastic and occasionally dramatic mess. Like Paul Giamatti, the movie doesn’t shy away from that. It revels in it. And so will you.

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Emma Matthews

Barney’s Version

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

It's an impossible task trying to squeeze Mordecai Richler's sprawling novel about an SOB into one little movie. Sure enough, director Richard J. Lewis and screenwriter Michael Konyves can't do it. But they lucked out with first-rate actors. Golden Globe nominee Paul Giamatti brings passion and ferocious fun to pain-in-the-ass Barney Panofsky, a Canadian TV producer and murder suspect who looks back on his life and three failed marriages through the prism of oncoming Alzheimer's. I'll say no more, except that Rosamund Pike is perfection as Barney's true love, and Dustin Hoffman makes magic as Barney's randy dad. It's acting heaven.

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Barney's version.

Common Sense Says
Parents Say 4 Reviews
Kids Say 0 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Mature dramedy is well acted but may not interest teens.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 17+?

Characters drink almost constantly, often to the point of drunkenness. The hero

Strong, frequent swearing includes "f--k," "s--t," "c--ksucker," "prick," "son o

Viewers see two sex acts in progress and one about to occur, but true nudity is

Plenty of shouting and arguing. A gun is pulled in one scene, though the resulti

Any Positive Content?

Ultimately, not much is learned or accomplished here. Characters behave terribly

Barney behaves badly and/or makes mistakes throughout the film, and he never see

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Characters drink almost constantly, often to the point of drunkenness. The hero goes to a bar to watch hockey and get drunk; he also drinks in restaurants and at home. He also smokes cigars almost constantly. A secondary character is shown to be an addict, and drugs such as "horse" (heroin), opium, and hash are mentioned.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Strong, frequent swearing includes "f--k," "s--t," "c--ksucker," "prick," "son of a bitch," "t-ts," "schtupping," "schmuck," "p---y," "vagina," "a--hole," "hell," and "Jesus Christ" (used as an exclamation).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Viewers see two sex acts in progress and one about to occur, but true nudity is limited to one scene with a topless woman and some nude paintings. Frequent sex talk and sexual innuendo. The main character is married to three women during the course of the movie and is said to have had sex with all of them, as well as with a fourth woman.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Plenty of shouting and arguing. A gun is pulled in one scene, though the resulting violence occurs off-screen, with no blood shown.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Ultimately, not much is learned or accomplished here. Characters behave terribly -- but also warmly from time to time; it's messy, but so is life.

Positive Role Models

Barney behaves badly and/or makes mistakes throughout the film, and he never seems to learn from any of them, although he does generally pay a price for his behavior. He's successful in business and also acts bravely and lovingly from time to time, but overall, his general character could be summed up as someone you don't want your kids to be like.

Parents need to know that this Paul Giamatti dramedy based on the novel by Mordecai Richler is heavy on strong language (including "f--k" and "s--t") and sexual innuendo and situations (including a scene of a topless woman). There's also some violence (a gun is brandished, and there's lots of arguing), as well as almost constant drinking and smoking, and one character is an addict. Teens may not be sucked in by the story of a middle-aged ne'er-do-well anyway. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Parent and Kid Reviews

Parents say (4)

Based on 4 parent reviews

Movie with cursing may not be appropiate for kids under 16.

What's the story.

Barney Panofsky ( Paul Giamatti ) begins his adult life by taking a soulless but successful job in television and marrying his pregnant, no-good girlfriend. It ends in disaster. Later, he agrees to marry a second woman ( Minnie Driver ), but on his wedding night, he falls instantly and helplessly in love with a third woman, Miriam ( Rosamund Pike ), and starts pursuing her. Years later, he runs into competition for Miriam's affections in the form of gentle Blair ( Bruce Greenwood ). All the while, Barney must deal with the mysterious, violent disappearance of his best friend, "Boogie" ( Scott Speedman ); with the oddball advice of his loving, good-hearted father ( Dustin Hoffman ); and with the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Is It Any Good?

It's an uneven film, but the terrific cast makes it well worth watching. Mordecai Richler's 1997 novel Barney's Version -- which BARNEY'S VERSION is based on -- plays with the idea of the "unreliable narrator." Barney tells his story after the onset of Alzheimer's disease, and then his notes are re-edited by his son, so it's hard to know what's 100% accurate. It's an interesting approach, so it's unfortunate that the movie doesn't embrace it, instead using the Alzheimer's mostly as a sympathy-getting plot device.

While some of the characters are well-drawn and others are thin, the cast as a whole is game, and the actors -- notably Giamatti, Hoffman, and Driver -- shine in their roles. (Giamatti's make-up is also especially good, and he's believable at every age.) While the movie has some strong laughs, especially at the beginning, director Richard J. Lewis has a little trouble balancing the film's inherent comedy and drama. He also lets the movie run too long, which undermines the goodwill the characters have drummed up.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about whether Barney is a strong or likeable character. What does he do to earn viewers' interest or admiration? What does he do wrong throughout his life? Does he learn anything? Do his mistakes make him more or less appealing?

Why do you think Barney and all his friends drink so much? What consequences does it have in their movie lives? What consequences might it have in real life?

Barney meets many women during his life. How does he know that Miriam is the one that he's truly in love with? What does he do to deserve her love?

Movie Details

In theaters : January 14, 2011
On DVD or streaming : June 28, 2011
Cast : Dustin Hoffman , Paul Giamatti , Rosamund Pike
Director : Richard J. Lewis
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Sony Pictures Classics
Genre : Drama
Run time : 132 minutes
MPAA rating : R
MPAA explanation : language and some sexual content
Last updated : June 3, 2023

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Barney’s Version Review

28 Jan 2011

134 minutes

Barney’s Version

Director Richard J. Lewis' picaresque portrait of TV producer Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamatti), a blunt, irascible grouch, is a delight, a seemingly freewheeling journey through Barney’s memories of a life that took in two disastrous marriages before he met the love of his life, elegant radio presenter Miriam (Rosamund Pike). Giamatti and Pike excel, with more than able support from Dustin Hoffman (as Barney’s dad, Izzy) and Minnie Driver as the second Mrs. P, while Michael Konyves’ screenplay is sharp and spiky, deftly blending wit with grit. Barney’s journey runs the gamut of moods from broad humour to real tragedy, and while such tonal shifts could in less accomplished hands have meant disaster, here they blend perfectly — the plot’s twists and turns, constantly surprising, adding up to a beguiling, touching, grown-up piece of filmmaking.

Movies | 07 12 2010

'Barney's Version' Review: Paul Giamatti shines as a man who makes a mess of his life

Published: Dec. 03, 2010, 12:21 p.m.
Stephen Whitty | For Inside Jersey

There are three versions to every story, as the old movie mogul used to say. My version, your version — and the truth.

Well, this is “Barney’s Version.”

He could use someone to plead his case, too.

As we watch him over the course of more than 30 years, Barney burns through three marriages, pollutes the Canadian airwaves with a bad soap opera and is the prime suspect in a murder.

Lovable? Hardly.

But Barney is watchable — at least as played here by Paul Giamatti. If actors serve as a sort of defense attorney for their characters, pleading their cases, offering alternative theories, well, Giamatti is the Alan Dershowitz of the profession.

He doesn’t make excuses. But he does offer explanations. And the final portrait we get is a full and fair one — of a man who mostly makes mistakes out of sloppiness, or Scotch, or both, but really means no harm and truly tries to do the right thing.

Movie Review

Barney's Version (R) Sony Pictures Classics (132 min.) Directed by Richard J. Lewis. With Paul Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman, Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver. Now playing in New York for one week; reopens Jan. 14. Rating note: The film contains sexual situations, strong language, substance abuse and violence. Stephen Whitty's Review: THREE STARS

Even if it usually ends up wrong.

“Barney’s Version” is adapted from a novel by Mordecai Richler, and some things seem to be lost in the adaptation. For example, that murder case never really comes to anything. Barney’s loudest, liveliest wife storms off the scene — and is never heard again. And we never really learn anything about Barney’s relationship with his mother, crucial as that must be to everything else.

Michael Konyves’ script, in its rush to get Richler’s big moments on-screen, seems to miss those crucial details. Just as director Richard J. Lewis, an unremarkable TV director, sometimes makes odd choices (like scoring a romantic, mid-’70s trip to Manhattan to Donovan’s flower-power era “Sunshine Superman”).

But then, even apart from Giamatti — who is truly delivering a tremendous, Oscar-caliber performance here — this is a film full of good actors in every role, and they help paper over the holes.

As Wife No. 3, Rosamund Pike comes off the least impressively, not because she’s a lesser performer — emotions move across her face like shadows — but because her character seems to be missing a scene or two. What she loves in Barney, and then finds disappointing, needs more explication.

But Dustin Hoffman is clearly having a wonderful time as Barney’s loud, vulgar, life-affirming father, and every time he comes on screen the film assumes some of his energy. And Minnie Driver takes what could have been a cruel caricature of a Jewish princess and illuminates it with flashes of insecurity and hurt.

“Barney’s Version” is only going to be playing in Manhattan for one week this month, in order to qualify for Oscar attention; Oscar voters should look closely. Because what they’ll see in Giamatti’s performance is something very rare — a character presented in full, without apologies, without excuses and totally without compromise.

And that, when it comes to acting, is Giamatti’s version.

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Cast & crew
User reviews

Barney's Version

The picaresque and touching story of the politically incorrect, fully lived life of the impulsive, irascible and fearlessly blunt Barney Panofsky.
Take a ride through the life and memories of Barney Panofsky, a hard-drinking, cigar-smoking, foulmouthed 65-year old hockey fanatic and television producer, as he reflects on his life's successes and (numerous) gaffes and failures as the final chapters of his own existence come sharply into focus. — Production
In Montreal, Barney Panofsky produces a long-running soap. He has two grown children and an ex-wife, now in New York City with her second husband. Barney hopes to win her back. A nasty cop has just published a book accusing Barney of murder some years ago. In flashbacks we see a young Barney and friends in Rome, where an early affair ends in tragedy. In Canada, he courts and marries his second wife - and at the reception, he meets another woman he decides is the one. He seeks advice from his dad, an ex-cop. Can Barney win back his ex-wife, and what about the murder? — <[email protected]>
In Montreal, the bitter and unpleasant television producer Barney Panofsky recalls his marriages. In 1974, in Rome, his unbalanced girlfriend Clara 'Chambers' Charnofsky gets pregnant and Barney marries her. On the delivery, he learns that the stillborn baby is not his and he leaves Clara that commits suicide later. Then his uncle invites Barney to move to Montreal to work as television producer. In 1975, Barney gets married with his second wife, the daughter of a wealthy Jewish couple. During the wedding party, Barney is infatuated by the guest Miriam Grant (Rosamund Pike). Miriam does not believe in love at the first sight and rejects the flowers and gifts that Barney sends to her in New York. One day, Barney surprises his best friend Boogie shagging his wife and they divorce. He travels to New York to meet Miriam; they return to Montreal, get married and have two children. After many years living happily together, Miriam meets the radio producer Blair in their house by the lake and Barney, who drinks a lot and smokes cigars, feels jealous. Blair offers an opportunity to Miriam in New York and Barney gets drunken and has one night stand with a former actress, destroying their marriage. Later Barney shows signs of dementia, loosing his memory. But he never forgets his beloved Miriam. — Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The adult life of Barney Panofsky, the Montréal-based producer of the long running soap opera "O'Malley of the North", is presented over the course of what end up being three failed marriages starting from 1975 to present day. Barney being able to attract three wives is despite many people in his life considering him, in polite terms, being a bit of a schmuck. The first marriage, which takes place when he is living in Rome, ends up being one partly out of circumstance, that circumstance which was not completely accurate to what he knew. The second marriage is to a stereotypical Jewish princess, who liked to tell the world more than anything about obtaining a Masters degree from McGill. Beyond their basic incompatibility, this second marriage is doomed to failure in part because of her extremely wealthy father looking down on Barney and Barney's own father, retired police detective Izzy Panofsky, and in part because of Barney's own fixation on two other items at their wedding besides her. The third marriage is to who Barney would arguably consider the love of his life and the woman for who he would do anything. But his own insecurities may be the largest cause of the break-up of that marriage. The individual effect of Barney's three closest buddies - Boogie, Leo and Cedric - on his marriages is also shown. — Huggo

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Dustin Hoffman, Minnie Driver, Paul Giamatti, Rachelle Lefevre, and Rosamund Pike in Barney's Version (2010)

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Friday, February 18, 2011

'barney's version' movie review.

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Movie Review: Barney’s Version (2010)

Mariusz Zubrowski
Movie Reviews
No responses
--> January 23, 2011

You’d think that January would be a month brimming with cinematic gems — a new year means new opportunities, in turn, allowing fresh talents to be inducted into the grand scheme of Hollywood. Unfortunately, that just isn’t the case, and for any dignified film connoisseur, January is just the beginning of a cold and barren expanse of time where studios decide to dump their stinkers — freeing up their schedules for any tour de force productions that they have planned. So where does Richard J. Lewis’ Barney’s Version come into play? This adaptation of Mordecai Richler’s eponymous novel is a diamond in the rough, with slick production and fine performances by Dustin Hoffman and Paul Giamatti, who play a father and son respectively. However, Michael Konyves’ screenplay is marred by a sloppy narrative that erupts into complete chaos by the film’s third act.

“You’ve screwed over anyone you ever cared about,” snaps one of Barney’s (Giamatti) co-workers at “Totally Unnecessary Productions,” a studio dedicated to cheesy daytime soaps. And by the end of Lewis’ ambitious character “dramedy,” the severity Barney’s destructive influence, brash decisions, and sharp tongue becomes clear. We learn about his three wives and the downfall of each of those marriages — reasons ranging from boredom to selfishness. We experience first-hand Barney’s drug-abuse, which leads to the mysterious disappearance of his best friend, Constable O’Malley of the North (Paul Gross), a pretty boy freeloader, whose body has never been recovered following a drunken nose-dive into a lake. And of course, we see his spite towards his third wife, Miriam’s (Rosamund Pike) new partner. With all these bits and pieces of Barney’s character, the scene is set; it turns out that he isn’t only hurting those around him, but also himself. But you can’t help but pity him.

Due to Giamatti’s immaculate performance, Barney’s Version becomes more than just the story of a maladjusted brute. The actor is hammy, showing an easy-going playfulness, when need be, but not once does it spill over to the dramatic side of Barney, where Giamatti shows passion and frustration. With brilliant comedic timing and expansive emotional range, it comes as a surprise that the actor is still relatively unknown. Perhaps it’s because Giamatti picks apart all future roles — declining appearances in mainstream, cash cows (although he did star in Michael Davis’ Shoot ‘Em Up ) — instead focusing on smaller projects that aren’t ruled by contractual agreements and computer-generated images.

Chemistry is also a big part of Giamatti’s appeal: The man plays nice with most everyone. This holds true with Hoffman especially, where, as Izzy Panofsky, former cop and paranoiac, the seasoned actor is brilliant. The role requires less range and more charisma, and Hoffman has just that, showing that when he is engrossed in a role, any character can automatically become likable. As the father, Izzy is a key factor in Barney’s development, and Hoffman makes sure that it’s visible on-screen. The two actors share mannerisms and Barney’s respect for Izzy is evident in Giamatti’s expressions. Plus the duo looks like they’re havin’ a helluva time on set — always a plus.

With two powerful leads and crisp direction, all that the film needed was a polished script. Sadly, Konyves’ attempt is full of fat, with cheap caricatures rounding out the cast. However, some of these characters do work, such as Barney’s second wife (Minnie Driver) and her father (Harvey Atkin), a pair of stuck-up millionaires that lead the plot into a couple of hilarious moments. Though, as a message to all inspiring screenwriters, who want to take cues from the Coen Brothers: Less is more; don’t do what Konyves does. Create fewer characters and expand on them — this leads to a more effective screenplay. In addition, Konyves’ work also drops the ball when the film reaches its climax, the last couple of scenes being longer than need be, with dialogue being hit-or-miss at this point. However, the merits outweigh the flaws, making Barney’s Version an impressive motion-picture.

Eventually I'll put something nifty here. Until then, know that I'm watching you. Closely.

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Review: “Barney's Version” a Well-Executed Murder Tale

Published december 3, 2010 • updated on may 30, 2012 at 2:47 pm.

Adapted from Mordecai Richler ’s fictional autobiography by Barney Panofsky , “Barney’s Version” tells the life story of a thrice-married Canadian soap opera producer suspected of murdering his best friend. One fateful day Barney ( Paul Giamatti ) finds himself at loggerheads with his best friend, Boogie (Scott Speedman clearly having a blast playing a junkie skirt-chaser), an argument ensues, a gun goes off and the next thing we know, Boogie is dead. The cop who investigates his death can’t get Barney convicted so instead writes a book putting forth his case against him. Hence the inspiration for “Barney’s Version.” Giamatti’s Panofsky a man by turns charming, arrogant and cruel, with a deep love of Monte Cristo cigars, 12-year-old Macallan and the Montreal Canadians. The way Giamatti develops from globetrotting bon vivant to soap opera impresario to a slow descent into old age is seamless, making the three-decades journey totally believable. Perhaps the most shocking revelation of “Barney’s Version” is that Canadians—so famed for their unfailing manners—are anti-Semitic. Barney’s second wife, “Mrs. P ( Minnie Driver ), is the very essence of what was in a less sensitive time known as a “Jewish American Princess.” Driver unfortunately can’t hold the accent to save her life, as her inflection veers all over the place, only periodically hitting “Jewish,” and even then it’s “New York Jewish,” as opposed to whatever “Canadian Jewish” sounds like. Dustin Hoffman as Barney’s dad, Izzie, a hard-drinking ex-cop with a million off-colors stories he’s eager to share with any audience, is hilarious, doing his best work in years—maybe decades (sad but true). And Rosamund Pike follows up her excellent turn in “An Education,” with another fine showing here. Though 31 in real life, Pike convincingly ages from her late 20s through some 30 years over the span of the film. Sprinkled throughout the film are subtle clues to the “murder mystery,” but when it comes time for the reveal, director Richard Lewis and screenwriter Michael Konyves beat us over the head with it, serving up the answer twice in quick succession, just in case we missed it. Could it be that filmmakers are now just assuming their audiences are dumber than they? Though “Barney’s Version” doesn’t quite merit the “let’s get this in theaters so it’s eligible for the Oscars” push, it is nonetheless a very good film featuring some fine performances.

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Movie Review: “Barney’s Version”

An ambitious young man with a penchant for hard liquor, the occasional doobie, and big cigars who flees the tightly knit Jewish community of Montreal for the dingy glamor of Parisian garrets, Barney finds himself a member of his own special lost generation. His choice of companions turns out to be a mixed bag at best. He forges a tight friendship with Boogie (a nicely relaxed Scott Speedman), a talented but utterly feckless writer with a taste for increasingly hard drugs who Barney will eventually be accused of murdering. He also falls for and marries the waifish and mentally ill faux shiksa, Clara (Rachelle Lefevre).

When that relationship ends in the absolute worst way possible, he returns to Quebec, largely abandons the bohemian trappings of his youth, starts producing a ridiculously lousy soap opera, and finds his way to a more stable woman with strong JCP (Jewish Canadian Princess) tendencies (Minnie Driver). Their marriage – so little thought through that neither Richler nor the filmmakers have given Mrs. Panofsky #2 a name of her own – is not long for this world. As if the troubles between his new in-laws and his oddly lovable, ex-crooked policeman father (Dustin Hoffman) aren’t bad enough, he realizes he’s head-over-heels in love on his wedding day, and not with the bride. Worse, he’s absolutely right to love Miriam Grant (Rosamund Pike). She is, therefore, far too upright to even consider having anything beyond a lively conversation with him. At first.

Believe it or not, that last paragraph is spoiler free. Both the book and the movie of “Barney’s Version” jump around in time with abandon, though few will have a hard time following the events in the film. The novel is, as you should expect, a very different beast. It takes the form of a free-associating memoir by the aging Barney, who is trying to respond to the still lingering charges that he murdered his best friend and is generally a bad person even as his own health is starting to deteriorate. It’s very deliberately as discursive as all get-out and not the kind of book that frequently gets made into movies these days.

For its first half, “Barney’s Version,” is an imperfect but highly charged and intelligent entertainment, as we cut from the aging Barney trying to reconnect with his estranged family to his often absurd younger life. You can quibble about pairing the very ordinary looking Giamatti with his beautiful wives in the film – and in some ways it’s even harder to take if you know of Barney’s many alleged youthful sexual conquests mentioned in the book – but Giamatti is by far one of the very best actors of his generation and is believable enough and fun enough to make us forget all that. Crucially, Giamatti’s commitment ensures that we are convinced that Dustin Hoffman really is the embarrassing father to whom he is absolutely devoted, and that Rosamund Pike is his true love and his guiding star, and even that she will eventually return his love.

On their own, both Pike and Hoffman are stellar. We’ve come to expect excellence from Pike, but it’s nice to see an actor like Hoffman, who can be erratic and showy in his post-superstardom, really sliding into this kind of role as if he was just another underrated, top-tier character actor. Just as good in a one-scene cameo is actual underrated, top-tier character actor Saul Rubinek, playing a previously unknown in-law who brings some surprising and unwelcome news. It’s one of the few scenes that really allows us to see the uglier and untamed side of Barney.

As the love story between Barney and Miriam becomes the story of a marriage and then a divorce, the movie around them loses its nerve. It may or may not be relevant, but director Richard J. Lewis (“C.S.I.”) and writer Michael Konyes have worked mostly in television. In any case, they both show a failure of imagination when met with this material.

Though I understand the goal was to make Montreal a character in the film, director Lewis fails even to bring us any memorable visuals of North America’s most beautiful city. (Seriously, they’ve got food courts in Montreal that are works of art.) Much worse, he does not figure out how to deal with the more serious and sad events of the second half without losing his film’s sense of humor. Lewis’s version of “Barney’s Version” simply cannot be anywhere near as politically incorrect as its protagonist, and that is a problem. Also, (pet peeve time) Lewis resorts to syrupy music to underline the drama when he should simply trust in the enormous abilities of his cast. To Lewis’s credit, though, those performances never suffer. It’s just not enough to save the later portions of his film from being, for the most part, a complete drag.

Like I said, I’ve only gotten about 1/6th of the way through the book, so I can’t hold myself up as some sort of expert on Mordecai Richler’s vision. I have read enough, however, to tell you that while it’s somewhat played down in the movie, Richler’s Barney Panofsky is, while not quite a writer, a hyper-literate, highly assiduous thinker. I might be wrong, but I think he would have disliked the second half of “Barney’s Version” even more than I did.

2.5 / 5 Stars Starring: Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver, Dustin Hoffman, Rachelle Lefevre, Scott Speedman, Bruce Greenwood, Jake Hoffman Director: Richard J. Lewis

Check out Bob’s interview with Rosamund Pike .

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{2jtab: Movie Review}

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Barney’s Version is a well-made condensation of Mordecai Richler’s prize-winning boat anchor of a book. While sometimes a little scatter-brained and occasionally a bit uneven, this wise, witty character piece feels much lighter and breezier than it actually is. And that’s a major coup considering its 400-page source novel, 2-hour plus runtime, and near three-decade span across two continents in the life of the titular Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamotti).

The story, told in the form of a grand candid confessional, comes from Barney’s point of view, and takes us through his extraordinarily colorful history. Barney is particularly compelled to tell his version of the story now because his sworn enemy has just published a tell-all book that uncovers many of the more sordid details of Barney’s past; including the numerous shady entrepreneurial ventures, the three failed marriages, and the mysterious, unsolved disappearance of his best friend, Boogie (Scott Speedman) whom even Barney isn’t sure he didn’t murder.

As Barney tells his story, we’re taken on a meandering saunter down memory lane often clouded by his poor memory and ever-frequent drunkenness. We get the feeling he’s not only telling his story to enlighten us, but to somehow explain it to himself as well. Giamatti seems to excel in these roles where he’s allowed to turn a detestable, pathetic, schlub into a likeable, affectionate character. He did it wonderfully with his Miles Raymond in Sideways – he does it even better here.

We learn about Barney through his three marriages, each representing a distinct “act” of his “three ring circus” of a life. Barney marries his first wife, the loopy, red-haired, suicidal artist, Clara (Rachelle LeFevre) while living “la vie de Boheme” in Rome during the ‘70s. Upon his return to Montreal years later, Barney ends up marrying the crass, Jewish Canadian princess, “The Second Mrs. P., (Minnie Driver). But his wedding night isn’t even over before he meets the love-of-his-life, Miriam (Rosamund Pike) who will shortly become his third wife and the mother his children.

As Barney settles down with Miriam, director Richard J. Lewis’s film seamlessly sheds its dark, comedic undertones and takes on the persona of a grand love story. We realize the mood of the film is mirroring Barney’s transition from a lonely soul schlepping through the motions of life, to a man finally content with what he’s made of himself. The beautiful Rosamund Pike has a way of doing that to people!

But don’t be mistaken by thinking that Barney is no longer the grumpy, profane, cigar chain-smoking wretch he used to be. It’s just that Giamatti has now made us care for his grumpy, profane, cigar chain-smoking wretchedness. Giamatti has a way of doing that with his characters. We know Barney’s heart is on the right place, it’s just that he’s so darn complicated, self-destructive, and dangerous, we’re always on edge wondering if he’ll eventually screw up this marriage too. It’s not long before he eventually does.

Richler’s novel is clearly meant to be one of those complicated, all-encompassing epic tales filled with many rich narrative layers and colorful characters. And those are very difficult stories to adapt into successful screenplays. We’ve seen it done to varying degrees of success through the years, including decades ago with The World According to Garp, then later in Forrest Gump, and most recently with Benjamin Button . But while those films carried heavy messages and were steeped in tedious social or moral significance – not to mention they felt long as hell, Michael Konyves ‘s screenplay isn’t out to teach a lesson, it’s not a morality tale and it’s not about how life should be lived. It’s just a story about the joys of being alive and about finding compassion in our lives. Many will find fault with its pointless plot, but watching Giamatti once again bring sweetness, compassion and lovability to a miserable cad of a character is a beautiful thing to watch.

{pgomakase}

{2jtab: Film Details}

Plot Synopsis : Based on Mordecai Richler's prize-winning comic novel--his last and, arguably, best -- Barney's Version is the warm, wise, and witty story of Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamatti), a seemingly ordinary man who lives an extraordinary life. A candid confessional, told from Barney's point of view, the film spans four decades and two continents, taking us through the different ?acts? of his unusual history. There is his first wife, Clara (Rachelle Lefevre), a flame-haired, flagrantly unfaithful free sprit with whom Barney briefly lives la vie de Boheme in Rome. The ?Second Mrs. P.,R14; (Minnie Driver), is a wealthy Jewish Princess who shops and talks incessantly, barely noticing that Barney is not listening. And it is at their lavish wedding that Barney meets, and starts pursuing, Miriam (Rosamund Pike), his third wife, the mother of his two children, and his true love. With his father, Izzy (Dustin Hoffman) as his sidekick, Barney takes us through the many highs, and a few too many lows, of his long and colorful life. Not only does Barney turn out to be a true romantic, he is also capable of all kinds of sneaky acts of gallantry, generosity, and goodness when we -- and he -- least expect it. His is a gloriously full life, played out on a grand scale. And, at its center stands an unlikely hero -- the unforgettable Barney Panofsky.

{2jtab: Blu-ray/DVD Review}

Blu-ray Details:

Available on Blu-ray - June 28, 2011 Screen Formats: 2.40:1 Subtitles : English, English SDH Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Discs: Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD); DVD copy; BD-Live Playback : Region A

The crisp AVC-encoded transfer handles the demands of the chronological leaps of the narrative nicely. Varying hues are nicely handled with warm colors and cool skin tones presented with striking clarity. Detail is fine and the detail of the interiors is solid. The verbose 5.1 DTS-HD sound mix sprinkles the mixture of voices and provides a nice immersive sound field for viewers.

Supplements:

Commentary :

Provided by director Richard J. Lewis, writer Michael Konyves, and producer Robert Lantos, the commentary track is an energetic one at best. The conversation quickly turns to the production and overall look of the film and it remains there for the length of the feature. Informative and entertaining, this will surely please advocates of the film’s complex handling.

Special Features:

Full of standard production behind-the-scenes supplementals, the special features are a bit on the brief side of things but they are satisfying. The best bits are the sit-down with the author as the book and the film are discussed and the 30-plus minute interview with Giamatti as he discuses his career and the film.

The breakdown is as follows:

Behind the Scenes (10 min)
Mordecai Richler (3 min)
On the Red Carpet (4 min)
92nd Street Y Q&A with Paul Giamatti and Annette Insdorf (35 min)
Theatrical Trailer

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By isa barnett.

Jan 13, 2011

Barney’s Version (A PopEntertainment.com Movie Review)

Updated: Nov 21, 2023

Barney’s Version

BARNEY’S VERSION (2011)

Starring Paul Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman, Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver, Bruce Greenwood, Scott Speedman, Mark Addy, Saul Rubinek, Rachelle Lefevre, Jake Hoffman, Anna Hopkins, Cle Bennett, Harvey Atkin and Maury Chaykin.

Screenplay by Michael Konyves.

Directed by Michael Konyves.

Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. 132 minutes. Rated R.

The novels of Mordecai Richler are so dense and complicated that they are difficult to break down into a two hour movie. That hasn’t stopped filmmakers seduced by his distinctive narrative voice to try – some of the better past attempts were The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974) and Joshua: Then and Now (1985). Both were impressively well-made adaptations that could not quite capture the experience of the novel, but did as well as could be expected. And those scripts were actually written by Richler, so you know it was not just some hack trying to boil down the essence of the story.

Barney’s Version – based on his final novel from 1997 – is in the same boat. It’s a very good movie that suffers somewhat in comparison to its source material.

I may even go so far as to say it is the best film made of Richler’s novels (only Duddy Kravitz is in the same ballpark, though a film that Richler wrote specifically as a screenplay, the original George Segal/Jane Fonda version of Fun With Dick & Jane, would still be my favorite cinematic version of his work). Barney’s Version as a film isfunny, fascinating, far-ranging and yet eventually not quite the equal of the novel.

This is not necessarily a horribly bad thing – the book was an extremely good one and movie adaptations of fine literature will inevitably be unable to capture the depth and the narrative thrust of the printed word.

However due to strong writing, interesting situations and some fine performances – particularly by Paul Giammati as the title character – Barney’s Version definitely does succeed well as a movie.

And if you haven’t read the novel, it is even more impressive.

Barney’s Version is – as you may imagine from the title – one man’s look back at his own history. It encompasses several decades, three marriages, two children and two mysterious deaths in the life of a cynical Canadian television executive.

Cynical is a bit of an understatement. He’s self-deprecating to a stunning degree. His production company is called Totally Unnecessary Productions and his favorite bar is a local dive called Grumpy’s. Barney Panofsky is a man who is both entranced and appalled by love, pickled by drink and power, passive aggressive and massively wounded and hardened.

He’s sort of the epitome of the great Sigmund Freud by way of Groucho Marx (by way of Woody Allen) saying: “I could never join a club that would have someone like me as a member.”

He only found love once and yet he was married three times. It was perhaps just bad timing that he met his one true love at his own wedding to another woman.

We first meet Barney in Europe in the 1970s. He is a money man in the midst of artists and is marrying a woman (Rachelle Lefavre), a woman that he doesn’t really particularly seem to like much – and who regularly cuckolds him – because she is pregnant and he might be the father.

Flash forward a few years and Barney – now a widower – again gets involved, this time with a spoiled Jewish American Princess (Minnie Driver) who exasperates him much more than she seem to attract him.

It is at this second wedding that Barney meets Miriam (Rosamund Pike), the convenience date of a gay relative. Barney falls for her hard, even asking her out on his wedding day and pursuing her from afar for years before she finally agrees to go out with him. However, despite a long and relatively happy marriage and two children, it is Barney’s fate to destroy all he loves and even this relationship hits the rocks.

In fact, Barney’s longest relationship (other than his good-hearted-but-crass father, played with a twinkle in the eye by Dustin Hoffman) is with Boogie (Scott Speedman), the kind of good looking, artistic man that Barney always aspired to be. However, Boogie has a lot of skeletons in his closet and when he disappears after a heated drunken argument with Barney, a local police detective makes it his mission to find Barney guilty of murder.

Throughout, the film has been deftly juggling comedy and drama, but as Barney ages, a serious illness changes the film, going from smart and funny to more serious and morose.

Honestly, the earlier sexy, funny parts of Barney’s existence are more intriguing than the later, more tragic ones. Then again, that’s usually how it works in real life as well.

Jay S. Jacobs

#JoshuaThenandNow #TheApprenticeshipofDuddyKravitz #SaulRubinek #CleBennett #JakeHoffman #BruceGreenwood #barneysversion #JaySJacobs #AnnaHopkins #PopEntertainmentcom #dustinhoffman #RachelleLefevre #scottspeedman #mordecairichler #minniedriver #paulgiamatti #rosamundpike #MichaelKonyves #moviereview #MarkAddy #HarveyAtkin #MauryChaykin

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