Barney’s Version

[alythonian]

A beautiful, touching and incredibly funny movie. With an extraordinary central performance from Paul Giamatti, making a potentially difficult character oddly lovable. So much so that in the latter stages of the film it was almost profoundly moving (I have to confess to a few teary moments towards the end).
Excellent support too. Dustin Hoffman stealing scenes as Barney's father (and in an inspired piece of casting, Hoffman's own son Jake playing his grandson). Both Minnie Driver and Rosamund Pike as two of the women in Barney's life were very strong. Also a couple of nice cameos from Canadian directors Atom Egoyan and David Cronenberg as directors of the awful soap that Barney produces, in which stars, in a nice piece of typecasting, Due South's Paul Gross as a Mountie.
A long film perhaps, but one that deserved to be. A highly entertaining movie that deserves to find an audience.

i saw this at a packed Cameo in Edinburgh this morning.
KK's review is pitch perfect and prety much sum up wher I was at with it too.
take a hanky!!

[Mesha]

I agree! I really enjoyed this film and I found the time flew by.

[biggins]

Every seat taken at the Cameo in Edinburgh this morning. Enjoyed this film much more than I expected to and agree with all the previous comments. He threw it all away just because he couldn't keep it in his trousers for a week while his wife was staying with their son!!!

Some funny moments and a sad ending but although the film was a over 2 hours long it passed quickly. 8/10

[TheDude]

Nothing much to add, great film, loved it, found it very funny, though a little too sentimental towards the end for my liking, but still an easy 8/10.

[birovr]

I loved it as well and may be the fact that it came totally unespected (I knew nothing about the movie apart of course the Golden Globe) made it even more enjoyable: my favourite of the year so far (8.5/10)
As it has been said before the movie goes from funny to really touchy towards the end and I agree with Beate that Rosemund Pike is a bit out of Barney's league...
Having recently moved over from Rome it's been nice to see familiar places such as Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere (a bit more crowdy nowadays) and Clara's house in Monti (the one with the beutiful view from the window... how many time I've been driving my scooter down to that slope)... (and I bet the hospital might be Fatebenefratelli...).

Favorite quote: "Have I ever given up on you?"

Hope the movie will be successful at the box office
Michele

[Beate]

I found it funny when that guy tells him he is a vegan and he says "Really? Is that treatable?" I also loved the fact that he called his company "Totally Useless Productions" or something like that.

[marjoreemarjora]

Thorughly enjoyed this in a full Cameo Edinburgh this morning. Hope everyone who had tickets got in and no one turned away as such a good film.

Kevinknapman said it all.

So glad managed to see it and thought casting perfect. Dustin Hoffman still looks good.

8.5/10 from us

[tufty]

I wasn't sure I was going to like this film but I loved it, it was funny, touching, romantic and sad, the acting was superb. 10/10 from me.

[soonforgotten]

This was the first of three for me today and the one I wasn't sure I'd be into, but I absolutely loved it. Fantastic performances and while long, there's a lengthy story to be told and it is extremely well-told. Giamatti is at his best and Dustin Hoffman was so much fun. The end was quite sad but felt realistic and was handled in a classy manner. I can't for the world see what these women would have seen in Barney which is the only thing that took me out of the story slightly. Great film, go see it!! 9/10

[stuartboy]

So I was squeezed in tight with Alythonian, Biggins and marjoreeee. Lol. Which of you was sitting on second row, aisle seat? I may have spoken to you. lol
I loved this film too. I must admit I was starting to get bored mid way, but then the twists started to unravel and it just flowed from then on. thouroughly enjoyable. Couldn't believe over 2 hours had flown by.

I have to admit I was watching and wondering who the old man was. Thought he kinda resembled an old Dustin Hoffman. Shocked to realise it was HIM! Maybe he was made up old? Film did cover 4 decades after all. Thought all the characters ages convincingly throughout.

Definite 9.5/10 from me.