FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

MusicChat It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

Griff Lees Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

beatdream So unrealistic! Maybe looks are not as important for women as it is for us men, but come on! At least the guy has to make it up for it somehow. Money (if the woman is seeking that), power, fame, unique talent, sense of adventure, charisma, strong character, artistic nature,sense of humor,...and Barney has none of that! (he has some money, but the women he seems to attract are well off either, maybe not his first wife).Sorry, I just can't ever get over that :-(

William Corden... read 'em and weep I think Mordecai Richler was the master of telling Jewish themed stories and this one translates to the movie screen effortlessly. The casting is fabulous , just as it was in the Apprenticeship, and the mise-en-scene is perfect. If you want to be thoroughly entertained by every character in the film and have your intellect tickled by the nuances and humour of the Jewish psyche then go no further than this movie. I've seen it twice now and could watch it a dozen times more. There is not a sub par performance by any of the actors and although Paul Giamatti is the centrepiece, he is just one of a fantastic ensemble. The direction is absolutely pitch perfect and I don't think I've ever enjoyed a movie more. It's not fair.. Rosamund Pike is stunningly beautiful and is a wonderful actress, why does God not spread the qualities around more evenly? What, with her in this movie and Virginia Madsen in Sideways I think I have seen all of the actresses I ever need to.bravo! BillC

thomasgillis_writer Barney's version is and incredible piece of acting by Paul Giamatti. Mr. Giamatti just keeps going and going in his roles in all different types of films. He manages to pull off every character that he portrays with certain dignified quality few actors possess. He is able to transcend the role of the character in the film and bring it to life like few actors of this time or even few actors that have come before him. Mr. Giamatti is a talent who by most standards, flies under the radar. Barney's Version is a movie about the life of a character named Barney Panofsky. In the film Barney is able to live his life without inhibition or playing by the standard rules of society. Barney is able to be his own man. In the film. Paul Giamatti is co-starred with Scott Speedman, who plays Barney's best friend "Boogie." The film also features Minnie Driver as Barney's second wife, a relationship that does not last long, but is entertaining non-the-less. Barney meets and falls in love with the character Miriam Grant played by Rosamund Pike and she is just fabulous in this role. I have never seen her in a feature role before, but she is masterful in her talent and acting ability playing the true love of Barney's life. In becoming Barney's true-love and wife is dynamic in her portrayal of a woman who is true to her beliefs and true to her word. Barney's Version is a film worth watching for any film buff who admires character driven movies. I should also mention Barney's father is played by the great Dustin Hoffman, and he adds just the right spice and flavor to the film. His portrayal of an old retired Jewish police officer of the Montreal Police force is rather quietly humorous. As a viewer of the film we ultimately learn to like Barney with all his many character flaws and quirky habits. But all his quirky habits and flaws make Barney the man that he is. Barney is not ashamed or has any embarrassment of even his most appalling character flaws, in fact, he embraces his flaws, they make him the man that he is. And the man that Barney is, we find truly lovable. The movie is genuinely funny, in a dry-wit sorta way. And unlike many films made today. It is actually very, very entertaining. If you are lucky enough to find it Cinemax or Showtime or maybe even Starz, possibly a copy in the bargain bin at Walmart, buy it. Watch it. Barney's Version is a movie you will watch over and over again for the sheer entertainment value. The film puts a smile on your face as you watch the characters interact from scene to scene. Barney falls victim to one of his character flaws that doesn't appear in the film till late. He loves his wife so deeply and genuinely, and how can love be a flaw in his character? It comes to a point in their twenty-five year marriage that Miriam, his wife, wants a little space and goes to visit her son in New York City, leaving Barney at home alone in Montreal. He finds jealousy hidden behind his love. The jealousy that is hidden behind his love for beautiful wife Mirium ultimately becomes one of his biggest and unexpected short-comings in his character. Which, as a the audience we find sad and unfortunate. Still, we love Barney and all his character flaws as they make him the man that we learn to love and admire through-out the entire film. A tip of the cap, to Mr. Giamatti again, for breathing life into a script that many other actors would have left flat on the page. Enjoy an evening with your big-screen and watch Barney's Version, a film you won't soon forget.

Ian Rivlin There have been many other reviews of this film, so I won't go into details about the plot etc. The following contains the entire denouement - so be warned, if you don't want to know the ending Read no further!What a bitch his wife is. He has on momentary skip off the rails. He has sex one evening whilst his wife is away - he's lonely and worried his wife is being unfaithful to him... When his wife gets home, the doctor calls to give Barney the STD results (all clear). He tells his wife it's "Trouble at' mill" but she finds out it was the doctor by using the recall button. (Suspicious little cow, eh?) Barney admits - in a pathetically over contrite way that he's steered off the rails. He hasn't actually explained what he did. It could have been looking at porn, giving another woman a peck on the cheek, writing a letter to an old flame. He starts crying and say that they have a good marriage and that he want's to make amends. The cow/bitch/slag says the marriage is over - not even being in possession of any facts. - We all need a woman like that, eh? He cops virulent abuse from his self righteous son and the wife clears out the house - and leaves him for good.Some time later he goes demented. We're supposed to elicit from this that the mental trauma of being parted from his wife has caused his brain to get totally fried. (Miriam, the loving, faithful wife)is now shacking up with Bruce Greenwood - let's hope his behavior is one of punctilious rectitude, lest he suffer the same lack of flexibility. When Miriam sees what she's done to Barney, she looks guilty. Her father's infidelity - in her eyes - led to her mother's early demise, courtesy of rampaging cancer. She now understands that she's done the same to Barney.Just before Barney departs this mortal coil, his son (now a little less self righteous and somewhat more conciliatory) points out the water bomber aircraft that regularly lands in the lake where Boogie (Scott Speedman) vanished. By this time, they've found Boogies body way, way, way away from the suspected murder site, having suffered injuries consistent with a "skydiving accident". Barney in a clear thinking moment realizes that Boogie got sucked into the water bombing plane and was dumped - from a great height - onto the ground below. Barney dies and we see a gravestone with "Pernofsky" on it and Miriam puts a rock on top of the gravestone, to show her care and contrition. - Yeah, right... Which bit of "For better or for worse" didn't she understand? Barney, although he got a dose of the old timer's disease, dodged a bullet. 30 years of marriage, one minor infidelity and you can't see Miriam's ass for dust. They should definitely bring out a "Blair's Version" - (Bruce Greenwood's part). I reckon he'll forget to take out the trash one day and Miriam) will brick him into the cellar, as suitable punishment for his unacceptable behaviour.Other minor gripes. Why Paul Giamatti for Barney? Ben Stiller would have been far better. Giamatti hardly looks Semitic. Rosamund Pike - not exactly Semitic looking either - yet the two kids are archetypal Semitic in appearance. Hmmmm - Could Miriam have had a little fling with a couple of Jewish guys? Of course that's different. So the film had an opportunity to be a lot more believable but the screenwriter decided to make it sanctimonious Hollywood nonsense. It should have been someone more Jewish looking for Barney. He should have been much more of a philanderer (to make Miriam's departure more believable) and the kids needn't have looked quite so Levantine. Subtlety was not this films strong point. If the reader thinks that I hated this film - I didn't. There's quite a lot to like. There didn't need much adjustment to take it from a reasonably good film to an excellent film. Sadly, this was not the case.