Barneys Version

Rating: 2.5

Movie Review: Barney’s Version It merely made a blip with the Academy judges and has sneaked in very quietly into theatres this week,but Barney’s Version is the same film that got the talented Paul Giamatti the Golden Globe for Best Actor this year. And while the Golden Globes are generally a fair indicator of what’s to happen at the Oscars that follow,it is easy to see why this film saw the two awards look at it so differently.

Based on a book by the same name by Canadian writer Mordechai Richler,it is about the life of a Montreal-based TV producer who is unremarkable in most ways except his Jewish lineage,the surname Panofsky,his irascible father and his three marriages.

But for the breadth of a well-lived,and more importantly well-aged,life that Giamatti breathes into his role,Barney’s Version is a similarly unremarkable film. No great dialogues to liven up the script,no great characters to take the story forward,and not much great acting besides Hoffman as Barney’s father to make us care.

For those not familiar with Canada much – and the glimpse into that oft-ignored country is one of its USPs – the film actually says nothing at all about the country. It also makes some vague stabs at the anti-Semitism that Jews face without putting much heart into it. So are their fears imaginary or real? Barney’s Version isn’t bothered,except for a few laughs.

Barney’s ardent pursuit of the love of his life,Miriam (Pike),and his long marriage with her is a singularly passion-less affair. That’s largely because of Pike,who is perfect and prim at all times of the day,never one to lose a shirt in three decades of marriage. It’s a romance that still makes up after a disagreement,not even a fight,with a holding of hands on the bed.

There’s more passion,in fact,between Barney and the other two women he’s married to before her,particularly the “2 nd Mrs P” played by Minnie Driver. She is rich,well educated but in Barney’s semi-arty world,“vulgar” – too loud with her opinions. Driver is quite good in the brief role,delicately perched at the half-way point between being nice and cute and rich and bitchy.

In many ways,Barney’s Version is a similarly half-way film,promising to be something else than it actually goes on to be.

shalini.langer@expressindia.com