Parents' Guide to

Barney's Version

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Mature dramedy is well acted but may not interest teens.

Movie R 2011 132 minutes
Barney's Version Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 4 parent reviews

grapelover46
grapelover46 Adult
September 14, 2012
age 16+

Movie with cursing may not be appropiate for kids under 16.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
slow man
slow man Adult
July 16, 2011
age 17+

Angaar

This title has:

Great role models
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamatti) begins his adult life by taking a soulless but successful job in television and marrying his pregnant, no-good girlfriend. It ends in disaster. Later, he agrees to marry a second woman (Minnie Driver), but on his wedding night, he falls instantly and helplessly in love with a third woman, Miriam (Rosamund Pike), and starts pursuing her. Years later, he runs into competition for Miriam's affections in the form of gentle Blair (Bruce Greenwood). All the while, Barney must deal with the mysterious, violent disappearance of his best friend, "Boogie" (Scott Speedman); with the oddball advice of his loving, good-hearted father (Dustin Hoffman); and with the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (4):
Kids say: Not yet rated

It's an uneven film, but the terrific cast makes it well worth watching. Mordecai Richler's 1997 novel Barney's Version -- which BARNEY'S VERSION is based on -- plays with the idea of the "unreliable narrator." Barney tells his story after the onset of Alzheimer's disease, and then his notes are re-edited by his son, so it's hard to know what's 100% accurate. It's an interesting approach, so it's unfortunate that the movie doesn't embrace it, instead using the Alzheimer's mostly as a sympathy-getting plot device.

While some of the characters are well-drawn and others are thin, the cast as a whole is game, and the actors -- notably Giamatti, Hoffman, and Driver -- shine in their roles. (Giamatti's make-up is also especially good, and he's believable at every age.) While the movie has some strong laughs, especially at the beginning, director Richard J. Lewis has a little trouble balancing the film's inherent comedy and drama. He also lets the movie run too long, which undermines the goodwill the characters have drummed up.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether Barney is a strong or likeable character. What does he do to earn viewers' interest or admiration? What does he do wrong throughout his life? Does he learn anything? Do his mistakes make him more or less appealing?

  • Why do you think Barney and all his friends drink so much? What consequences does it have in their movie lives? What consequences might it have in real life?

  • Barney meets many women during his life. How does he know that Miriam is the one that he's truly in love with? What does he do to deserve her love?

Movie Details

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