Parents' Guide to

Barney Thomson

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Uneven dark comedy about a barber and a serial killer.

Movie NR 2016 96 minutes
Barney Thomson Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

BARNEY THOMSON (Robert Carlyle) is a barber -- not an especially good one -- who's been working at the same Glasgow shop for most of his life, so he gets thrown for a loop when he realizes he's about to lose his job. Overwhelmed, Barney gets into a tussle with the shop's manager, leaving his boss unexpectedly dead. Meanwhile, the local police force is stymied by a mysterious serial killer who's been dismembering victims and leaving body parts all over town. When Thomson turns to his mother, Cemolina (Emma Thompson), for help, they suddenly become suspects in this dark comedy that marks Carlyle's directorial debut.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Creating a dark comedy like this is a challenge, requiring a film to straddle the line between shock and laughter -- and Carlyle gets close. Barney Thomson the character is a bit of a sad sack: middle-aged, set to lose his job, unmarried, unmoored, and with only his mother to turn to for help (which she's not very gracious about it). Barney Thomson the movie is almost as muddled as it tries to make Thomson into a sympathetic character.

There are funny parts -- even having a serial killer who likes to send random body parts through the mail doesn't tip the film into horror -- but the main flaw is that we're not given much reason to care about what happens to Thomson. Carlyle does a fine job playing a highly uncharismatic man, and Thompson is even better as a truly frightful and unpleasant mother, but their good acting only highlights that there's not much about the characters to hold our attention. (Plus, the fact that Thompson is only two years older than her on-screen son is kind of distracting!)

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the role that violence plays in Barney Thomson. How does the comic tone affect how it makes you feel? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • What does it take to make a comedy about a serial killer? How does this film compare to other dark comedies that wring laughs out of heavy subjects?

  • What do you think about Barney's relationship with his mother? Is she a good parent? What does the film say about the role that parents can play in their adult children's lives?

  • Emma Thompson is nearly the same age as Robert Carlyle but plays his mother here. How do you feel about that kind of casting?

Movie Details

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