Barney’s Version **** (2010, Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Dustin Hoffman, Minnie Driver, Scott Speedman, Mark Addy, Rachelle Lefevre) – Classic Movie Review 4611

Paul Giamatti rightly won the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his marvellously rich, entertaining and rewarding performance as a neurotic, grouchy and straight-talking TV producer who has it all and just messes it all up somehow.

At 65, he looks back and ponders his totally flawed life and times, spent in a haze of drink, cigars, swearing and watching hockey. The character is called Barney Panofsky, but somehow you know he is really the source novel author Mordecai Richler’s alter ego and that makes it all the more touching and poignant.

After lots of false fits and starts, Barney finds the love of his life in the perfect Miriam (Rosamund Pike, enchanting) then simply goes ahead and stuffs that up too. Dustin Hoffman as Barney’s dad Izzy Panofsky (forming a super double act with Giamatti) and Minnie Driver as the second Mrs Panofsky give brilliantly judged, hilarious turns as well.

Director Richard J Lewis’s comedy drama is a long movie at 134 minutes, but it rushes by in what seems like moments. And it leaves you, like Oliver Twist, begging for more. Much kudos then to the actors, Lewis, Richler and screenplay writer Michael Konyves.

Disappointingly, it received only the one Oscar nomination – for Best Achievement in Makeup (Adrien Morot). The London Film Critics nominated both Pike and Driver.

Also in the cast are Scott Speedman, Mark Addy, Rachelle Lefevre, Denys Arcand and Atom Egoyan.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4611

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