Barney's Version Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Barney's Version Blu-ray Movie Review

A sobering but well-executed look at a troubled life.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 9, 2011

You never know what tomorrow's going to bring.

It's the stories that really get down into the nitty-gritty of real life that seem to make for the best Dramas. That's exactly what Barney's Version does, and that's exactly why it's such a fine film. For all of the happenings, all of the mischief, all of the unbelievable moments, there's an air of honesty to Barney's Version that's not always evident in lesser films with lesser stories to tell. Barney's story is sometimes outrageous, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes uncertain, sometimes not at all what anyone might expect it to be, but those ebbs and flows represent the very definition of human life. The story might be a little further out there than is the tale of the average person's life, but that's why cinema is such a magical medium: it's capable of introducing audiences to a life that might be so drastically different from their own, but with a well-crafted story, it can demonstrate how even the most divergent lifestyles, outrageous stories, and unstable people are really not all that different than anyone else when it comes right down to it. Indeed, even with a character as unscrupulous and unlikable as Barney Panofsky, and no matter what tragedy befalls him -- whether of his own doing or the result of some external, uncontrollable circumstance or event -- one cannot help but sympathize with the character by film's end, to find some remorse for even a man of his checkered past and with such a tumultuous soul at his center. This is the story of a hard life made all the mode difficult thanks to hard living and bad decisions, but ultimately Barney Panofsky is just a man, not unlike any other, through whose eyes audiences will see and travel with a different stroke of life that, for all its wrong twisty turns and detours, still aims to lead back to the path towards humanity after all.

I love...you?

Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamatti), a tactless, oft-divorced drunkard and longtime TV man who's overseen the steady success of a soap opera on a 30-year run, takes the recent publication of a true-crime book -- in which he plays a central part -- as a means by which he may reflect back on the past several decades of his troubled life. His memories take him back to his first marriage to an Italian girl (Rachelle Lefevre) whom he's supposedly impregnated. With that marriage over in almost the blink of an eye, he moves on to his second conquest (Minnie Driver) with whom he celebrates the marriage in grand style but spends his wedding reception watching hockey, drinking with his friends, and falling in love for the first time in his life with a woman he's never before met. Even as his second marriage traverses the ebbs and flows of matrimony and his best friend Boogie (Scott Speedman) re-enters the picture in a not-so-friendly way, Barney continues to pursue the girl of dreams, the woman from the wedding, Miriam (Rosamund Pike). Will Barney find a way to get the woman he wants, and will she finally bring calm to his chaotic life?

Barney's Version isn't exactly film-as-pure-entertainment. That doesn't mean the picture isn't incredibly watchable in its own right, not to mention purposeful, sometimes powerful, and perhaps even meaningful. This is an honest to goodness story about real life and not the adventures of someone or something that exists beyond the realm of what most people consider "normal," even if Barney's life is anything but. Sure, Barney's Version is about quite an unusual character, but as a character-driven piece, it does need some sense of the relatable up against the non-relatable to really work in a context where audiences will care enough to give their heart and attention to Barney's story. Otherwise, it's only a reflection of everyday life rather than a reflection of life as seen through a skewed or otherwise quasi-unrecognizable filter, and it's that off-kilter focus that ultimately gives the film its purpose. It's the story of a life in flux, a life that's led in two directions, pulling a man both aimlessly in one direction and towards some purpose or destiny at the same time. It's about the challenges, rewards, disappointments, jubilations, ups, downs, rights, wrongs, and uncertainties of life. Barney lives through them all, either by choice, association, dumb luck, fate, or maybe even some combination thereof. What he does along the way may shock, disappoint, infuriate, or maybe even sometimes touch the hearts of those who watch his life's journey, but however one feels about Barney's version of life, it's at the very least a fascinating study of a man living well beyond the bounds of "normal."

As such a well-conceived picture of a life in a state of disarray, Barney's Version requires a lead actor to pull off the title character's complexities, idiosyncrasies, and general way-of-life with a believable flair that will keep audiences involved even when the character is down and out, outright outrageous, or otherwise choosing paths that alienate those around him and lead viewers to question the value in the story. Paul Giamatti scores big time as Barney, really sinking into the character and keeping audiences wanting more no matter his attitude or antics. That he so effortlessly pulls off a character who's best described as a somewhat slovenly, wholly untactful, self-centered drunkard so incredibly well is a testament to his ability as an actor and the strength of the story to draw such a performance from him. For all his outward antics -- watching a hockey game and checking out another woman at his own wedding, drunkenly and angrily going about his daily routine, and alienating himself from many of those who care about him while somehow ingratiating himself with others -- the part seems one of the most inwardly complex and demanding in some time, and Giamatti not only pulls it off, he becomes Barney Panofsky, and Barney Panofsky through the decades at that, finishing the film in the here-and-now in a state that's sure to leave audiences divided on how his fate plays into the hand he's been dealt and, more importantly, the way he's played his cards over the years. Director Richard J. Lewis smartly makes this into Giamatti's movie, leaving the actor to dominate the picture and mold it into one of the year's better offerings and one of its top dramatic films.

Barney's Version Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Barney's Version is a Sony Blu-ray title, so it should come as no surprise that the transfer is simply excellent. There are no real technical glitches to speak of, and other than some instances where flesh tones appear a bit too orange -- sometimes influenced by surrounding lighting, sometimes seemingly not -- the transfer is pretty much perfect. Colors are splendidly reproduced, and the transfer handles a splash of eggshell seen early in the film, the brighter hues of Venice, the more neutral colors in Montreal, or warm accents scattered here and there, with ease. Fine detail is faultless, too; whether wood and tile, faces and clothes, or pavement and building façades, Sony's transfer handles each element with clarity and ease. Natural depth is evident, and the image remains sharp as a tack from front to back and side to side in nearly every frame. Black levels are deep and true. A light but critical layer of grain puts the finishing touches on another masterpiece Blu-ray transfer from Sony.

Barney's Version Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Barney's Version features a surprisingly robust DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. One might not give much though to the soundtrack accompanying a dramatic film such as this, but Sony's lossless presentation is quite aggressive and wholly satisfying throughout. At several junctures in the film, notably during the extended reception sequence at Barney's second wedding, music proves boisterous but focused and wonderfully clear, joyously spilling from every speaker and truly transplanting the listener from the living room to the reception hall. Generally, however, the movie gets by primarily on dialogue and ambient effects; the former is strongly grounded in the middle and never is forced to compete with surrounding elements, while the latter is effortlessly and naturally implemented, whether background tunes in a bar, chatter around the workplace, or light blowing winds as heard in a few exterior segments. Sony's track is finely balanced and perfectly implemented; it's not a system-stretcher or an ear-breaker, but Barney's Version's DTS track is a winner in its own right.

Barney's Version Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Barney's Version arrives on Blu-ray with a handful of extras, headlined by a multi-participant audio commentary track and a lengthy Q&A session with Actor Paul Giamatti.

• Audio Commentary: Director Richard J. Lewis, Writer Michael Konyves, and Producer Robert Lantos offer a balanced and insightful track. They cover all of the expected bases, speaking on the process of crafting the film in its various stages, shooting locales, the editing process, the work of the cast and crew, the timetable surrounding the shoot, a few tricks of the trade, and more. This is a quality listen that fans should definitely check out.
• Behind the Scenes of Barney's Version (480p, 10:25): A standard, as-expected piece that offers a look at what makes the movie tick, from the source material to the cast that brings the story's themes to life.
• Mordecai Richler: Barney's Version (480p, 3:18): Novelist Mordecai Richler reads selections from his book and speaks on what makes him tick.
• On the Red Carpet (1080p, 4:19): Cast and crew talk up the film ahead of the premiere.
• 92nd Street Y Q&A with Paul Giamatti & Anette Insdorf (1080p, 35:08): The star discusses the picture at length while fielding questions from both the hostess and the audience.
• Barney's Version Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:19).
• Previews: Additional Sony titles.
• BD-Live.
• DVD Copy.

Barney's Version Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Barney's Version isn't an easy movie to sit through, but it's still a pleasure to watch. It's difficult to witness Barney's life crumbling before the camera through various events of both his making and external consequences alike, but it's easy to enjoy Paul Giamatti's wonderful performance. Ultimately, this is a high-quality motion picture about a man whose life isn't exactly the stuff of gleeful, poetic legend, but sometimes it takes a glimpse into something like this to allow audiences to appreciate what they have -- and what they don't have -- all the more. Sony's Blu-ray release of Barney's Version features a tip-top technical presentation and a good selection of extras. Recommended.