Review of Barney's Version (2010) by Fernando Rafael Q — 02 Aug 2011

There's enough material ripe with drama, and even more of it is evidently aimed at getting laughs, but the switch between genres is violent and renders Barney's Version a complete tonal misfire.

Besides, the characters in the film are pretty much impossible to empathize with: deeply flawed and with hardly any redeeming qualities, not to mention underdeveloped. The film revolves around a stunning performance by Paul Giamatti, which is aided by extraordinary (and most importantly, convincing) makeup by Adrien Morot and supported by an appealing cast that includes Rosamund Pike, Dustin Hoffman, Scott Speedman, Rachelle Lefevre and Minnie Driver.