Review: BARNEY’S VERSION

Throughout Hollywood’s golden age rarely did character actors graduate into leading roles. Frank McHugh and Mary Wickes were almost always the buddy or the maid in studio features. That really started to change in the 1960’s. For instance, Gene Hackman went from a supporting role in BONNIE AND CLYDE to the lead in THE FRENCH CONNECTION within a couple of years. Such is now the case of the gifted character actor, Paul Giamatti. After memorable supporting turns in films like PRIVATE PARTS ( as Howard Stern’s arch-nemesis ) and BIG FAT LIAR ( the poor guy’s covered in blue paint! ) , Giamatti graduated to leading roles with AMERICAN SPLENDOR and SIDEWAYS. He’s been given another opportunity to headline a film as the title role in Richard J. Lewis film of Mordecai Richler’s BARNEY’S VERSION.  This time he gets to show some of his romantic side along with his considerable comedic talents. And Mr. G does not disappoint.

Over the opening titles we meet Barney Panofsky as he stumbles into his home in the wee hours of morning, lights up a cigar, knocks back a bottle of booze, and drunk-dials his ex-wife’s current husband. The next day, he meets with his twenty-something daughter Kate who chastises him for tormenting her step dad. Later after working as the producer of a long running TV show, Barney settles in for a drink at his favorite pub and is accosted by a retired cop, O’Hearne  ( Mark Addy ). Seems a new book has come out concerning the disappearance of one of Barney’s old pals. The book reiterates O”Hearne’s belief that Barney murdered  “Boogie” ( Scott Speedman ). The film flashes back several decades as Barney and several buddies ( including Boogie ) party in Rome prior to his marriage to the free-spirited-and very pregnant- Clara ( Rachel Lafevre ). After  finding out that he is not the father of their still-born child, the marriage ends in tragedy. Soon Barney meets and marries again even though the parents of the bride ( Minnie Driver ) look down upon Barney’s widowed ex- detective father, Izzy ( Dustin Hoffman ). At the wedding reception Barney becomes smitten with one of his wife’s old college pals, Miriam ( Rosamund Pike ). Following her to the train station, she rebuffs the new groom’s advances. But Barney is certain that she’s the one and continues to send flowers to her in NYC while setting up a new home with his wife. Suddenly Boogie re-enters Barney’s life. He’s on a drug-fueled bender and decides to hit up his old pal for some dough. Barney takes Boogie to the family lake house to dry out. Upon his return from an errand Barney finds Boogie bedding down his wife. After she storms off the two men get into an argument over Boogie testifying in the divorce proceedings. They get drunk, scuffle over a loaded pistol, Barney passes out and Boogie is nowhere to be found. After he’s cleared of any foul play, Barney divorces and begins his pursuit of Miriam with new vigor. Is she the love of is life? If so, how’s he gonna’ muck it up? Can it be fixed?.

There’s plenty here for Giamatti fans to enjoy. You may wonder at first how these beautiful women are swayed by him, but you soon come to appreciate his considerable charms. He’s sweet and funny but also frustratingly self-destructive. You want to grab him by the shoulders and implore him not to screw things up! Giamatti has great chemistry with all the Petrofsky wives. Rachelle Lefevre has little screen time as the first Mrs. P, Clara, but  really embodies this swingin’ seventies free-spirited gal. The second Mrs. P is almost a cartoon of the spoiled, shrewish Jewish princess, but Minnie Driver plays her with great gusto and comic timing. As the final wife Miriam, Rosamund Pike, is quite charming as the ethereal, endlessly patient  angel of Barney’s dreams. Bruce Greenwood is very funny as the annoying, too-good-to-be-true Blair, Barney’s nemisis. The funniest actor in the cast has to be Dustin Hoffman who brings so much joy to his role as the happily vulgar Izzy. The screen practically sparkles when he enters a scene. Director Lewis does a good job of moving this film along as it goes from slapstick comedy to romantic longing, then to murder mystery and finally domestic drama. The last half hour almost becomes a cable TV disease of the week docu drama. But I shouldn’t fault the final scenes too much. There’s plenty of entertainment to be had as you go on the journey of Barney’s life. And we get to enjoy the talents of Paul Giamatti as he adds this unlikely ladies man to his impressive roster of screen characters.

Overall Rating: Three and a Half Out of Five Stars