Die pikareske und berührende Geschichte des politisch inkorrekten, voll gelebten Lebens des impulsiven, jähzornigen und furchtlos stumpfen Barney Panofsky.Die pikareske und berührende Geschichte des politisch inkorrekten, voll gelebten Lebens des impulsiven, jähzornigen und furchtlos stumpfen Barney Panofsky.Die pikareske und berührende Geschichte des politisch inkorrekten, voll gelebten Lebens des impulsiven, jähzornigen und furchtlos stumpfen Barney Panofsky.
- Regie
- Drehbuch
- Hauptbesetzung
- Für 1 Oscar nominiert
- 18 Gewinne & 19 Nominierungen insgesamt
- Rome Doctor
- (as Massimo Wertmuller)
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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
My one gripe, as I mentioned in the title, is that our protagonist "Barney" is not really a likeable character. If you truly analyze his behavior, his choices and his actions & with regard to other people, you quickly realize that Barney has absolutely no empathy for others, and even his "love" for women in his life is purely need-based. This threw me for a loop, and it may confuse you as well, especially during the scenes where we're supposed to feel sorry for Barney.
Barney's unlikeability was deliberate, and Paul Giamatti does a great job of making the character engaging to us, even though if we were to meet someone like this in real life we would probably cross to the other side of the street, even if it were the LA freeway. I haven't read the book, and I'm not sure what the message is, other than an excercise in sympathizing with a person who is himself utterly unsympathetic to anyone else. But it's an interesting and powerful effect, especially when certain things happen toward the end that make this a very sentimental film.
I took off a few points because the writers used a few schlocky stereotypes to manipulate us into hating certain characters. For example, Barney's rival is a vegan who rambles about animals at dinner, and that's supposed to make us hate him (he doesn't have many other lines in the film). Or similarly, Barney's first wife has an annoying, nasal, Janice-from-Friends voice, and that's supposed to make us hate her and justify Barney's coldness toward her. I thought that was lazy writing. But other than that, most of the characters are interesting enough and well acted.
I would compare "Barney's Version" to other heavy dramas that feature unlikeable yet pitiable characters who make bad choices, such as "Streetcar Named Desire" (as well as its modern remake "Blue Jasmine") or "Leaving Las Vegas". There's a bit more humor in this film so it's not quite as heavy as the others I mentioned, but it's still a film that will affect you, even if it makes you feel a little bit dirty. Just be prepared to hate the main character and you'll have a good time.
Giamatti's character--although a cad in some ways--manages to also be quite endearing, and character development in the whole movie is excellent. We know these people...some of them are in our family, some are friends or perhaps, live next door. To be sure, there is a Jewish aspect to the individuals and story (it's pretty hard to divorce that aspect from anything Richler has written), but all the issues are universal. If Woody Allen had done this movie, there would have been endless navel gazing, and the characters would have been more 2-dimensional (just a mind game I played since the characters and the themes are similar to those that The Woodman deals with).
At any rate, this is a brilliantly constructed examination of a life that is enjoyable and entertaining; also, a great movie to see and have dinner afterwards so all those who saw it with you could discuss--a lot of meat for that. But, if it's not on a big screen within 30 miles of you, it will play very well on the small screen in a few months; but certainly go out of your way to see it.
Wusstest du schon
- WissenswertesJake Hoffman plays Dustin Hoffman's grandson. In real-life, he's his son.
- PatzerOn the radio Miriam introduces the song "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore" by Dusty Springfield. The recording played is the version by Shelby Lynne which was recorded in 2008.
- Zitate
Barney Panofsky: ...and I'm just gonna keep talking here, 'cause I'm afraid that if I stop there's gonna be a pause or a break and you're gonna say 'It's getting late' or 'I should get going', and I'm not ready for that to happen. I don't want that to happen. Ever.
[they pause]
Miriam: There it was. The pause.
Barney Panofsky: Yeah.
Miriam: I'm still here.
- VerbindungenFeatured in Breakfast: Folge vom 8. Dezember 2010 (2010)
- SoundtracksBang a Gong (Get It On)
Words & Music by Marc Bolan
Performed by T. Rex (as T Rex)
Courtesy of Muscadet Productions, Inc./Straight Ahead Productions Ltd.
Published by TRO - Essex Music International, Inc. (ASCAP)
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Box Office
- Budget
- 30.000.000 $ (geschätzt)
- Bruttoertrag in den USA und Kanada
- 4.439.201 $
- Eröffnungswochenende in den USA und in Kanada
- 65.241 $
- 16. Jan. 2011
- Weltweiter Bruttoertrag
- 12.106.921 $
- Laufzeit2 Stunden 14 Minuten
- Farbe
- Sound-Mix
- Seitenverhältnis
- 2.35 : 1