Limacher Low Down: I gained GREAT interest about seeing this movie after Paul Giamatti won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in Comedy or Musical. I must say there were some humorous lines and moments in the movie, but this was far from a Comedy. . . or Musical for that matter. The movie does a great job at taking the look of a unique man and telling his story through his eyes only; hence the title, it’s Barney’s Version! The movie plays on more than one emotion and at the end you might find yourself evaluating your own life and how things might be different and if it is ever too late to make a change. There are parts where you wonder what the (expletive deleted) is going on, but at the end a special story is revealed.
“Barney’s Version”, based on the novel of the same name by Mordecai Richler, is the story of Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamatti) who is a hockey loving, scotch drinking, producer of a successful soap opera in Canada. Barney has had some troubles in the past, and we quickly learn that part of his past has been written about and then the flashbacks commence. The first flashback is in Rome, 1975 where Barney is seated at a Café awaiting the arrival of his best friend Boogie (Scott Speedman). Shortly after Boogie arrives he hears the news of Barney being engaged to Clara Chambers (Rachel Lefevre) who is pregnant with Barney’s child. During the ceremony Barney finds out his bride-to-be is really named Clara Charnovsky, and Barney begins to question what else she has possibly lied about. Tragedy strikes and it leaves Barney questioning the relationship all together and leaves Barney lost and confused.
Barney next gets a call from his father that his Uncle wants him to be a Producer at his studio, Totally Useless Productions, and after a while of working his producing magic Barney meets a beautiful woman soon to be known simply as the 2nd Mrs. Panofsky (Minnie Driver). When Barney first meets her parents he asks his father to dinner with them and this is our introduction to Izzy Panofsky (Dustin Hoffman). Izzy is a retired beat cop who has a laid back attitude and a love for his son and wife to be. At the wedding, Barney realizes after being hoisted up on the chair that maybe he once again rushed into things. Barney’s Father-in-Law decides that Barney and Izzy have had enough to drink, and as Barney goes to tell off his new “dad” he eyes a beautiful woman outside the hall, and realizes he just has to talk to her. They share some friendly chit chat and he asks her to accompany him to Rome, of course she declines and leaves. Later in the evening Barney sits down at a table with Boogie and together they watch the new love of his life leave. Boogie agrees she’s a fascinating woman and shows Barney a note she had written with her name on it, Miriam (Rosamund Pike). Barney chases Miriam down and she rejects him so he has to make his way back home dejected that he married the WRONG WOMAN!
Barney and his new wife Honeymoon in Rome where Barney starts to question who some of the guests were. He casually asks who Miriam was, and his wife states her name is Miriam Grant and has no kind words about her. His new wife and Barney start their lives together and Barney seemingly cannot say a kind thing to her, but she talks down to him all the time. (This is Barney’s Version so we hear what he hears!) Barney lets his wife know that he’s going to the cabin he owns up north of Montreal to get away with Boogie for the weekend. Barney and Boogie arrive at the cabin when who else should be there BUT the 2nd Mrs. P. Barney leaves for the city the next day to meet Izzy and talk a few things out, mainly that he married the wrong woman. Barney arrives back at the cabin and discovers he isn’t the only one with angst.
Barney finally gets divorce papers and as soon as he signs them, of course his first call is to his lovely Miriam. Barney and Miriam start their new relationship and Barney could not be happier. Not much time goes by before the two are joined in wedded bliss. Everyone seems happy and Barney and Miriam start a family. They have a son and a daughter and we watch as they quickly grow up. As the kids grow up Miriam decides that she wants to go back to work and a friend of theirs, Blair (Bruce Greenwood), offers her a job to work with him. Barney grows concerned over this fact because he always had the sense that Blair was interested in Miriam and vice-versa. Years go by and Barney and Miriam continue their relationship and love for each other to the point where their children have moved away. Barney and Izzy go for a walk to visit the grave of Barney’s mother where Izzy talks straight to Barney about how he will understand how important it is to spend eternity with one you love, then goes on to say “I need to get laid!” Barney takes this advice and doesn’t know what to do with it because he still doesn’t understand. Barney gets a call later that night and his father had gotten his wish, but with a catch.
Barney makes a few bad choices and suffers from the consequences of his choices. Barney starts to analyze his life and melts down analyzing what his life used to be. Barney ages quickly due to his heavy drinking and other choices he made early in life. Barney sinks down into a shell of the person he once was, and this translates really well on screen. All the questions that might be asked throughout the movie all get answered at the end, and it leaves you with a sense of completion. The performances are well acted and really connect with the audience. The movie was wonderfully done, and you can really feel a connection at the end as well. While it isn’t the brightest movie ever made, “Barney’s Version” tells a story that most movies don’t. And the fact the movie follows one character without branching out to see other points of view makes it even more special to witness on screen. You may wonder just what in the hell Barney was thinking in parts, but you also have to remember that it is his story, and he has nothing to hide.
If you want to see a movie that makes you laugh, touches you, and runs the gamut of emotions, go see “Barney’s Version”.
