It starts with a turd

Barney's Version (2010)

Adapted from the novel of the same name this film stars Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver and Dustin Hoffman. A man lurches through three marriages and various disasters as he tries to give his own version of how he lived his life.

There are some good performances in this film and Hoffman in particular has some great comedic moments, stealing a lot of the scenes he is in. When it comes to the plot the ending is heart breaking but I do think that the film missed out on a big chance to play with the unreliable nature of Barney's version of events given what happens to him in the end. While this is a well made film ultimately you do spend a large part of the film wondering why this story is being told, I think a larger focus on how people perceive Barney compared to how he views himself as well as the issues surrounding his fate would have made a better film.

3/5