BARNEY'S VERSION

Paul Giamatti as Barney
Photo by ©Sabrina Lantos, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
Rosamund Pike as Miriam
Photo by ©Sabrina Lantos, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
Left to Right: Paul Giamatti as Barney and Dustin Hoffman as Izzy
Photo by ©Sabrina Lantos, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Left to Right: Paul Giamatti as Barney and Rachelle Lefevre as Clara
Photo by ©Sabrina Lantos, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Barney's Version is a serious, extremely well acted drama.

Paul Giamatti (Barney) was nominated for a Golden Globe. (Note 1/17 -- in fact, he WON!)
Dustin Hoffman has an unforgettable role as Barney's father.
Rachelle Lefevre, flames briefly and spectacularly as Barney's disturbed first wife.
Rosamund Pike, as the love of Barney's life, is transcendent.
Also, Jake Hoffman (Dustin Hoffman's son) plays Barney's son, and he's very good.

Indeed, the movie has many transcendent moments of love, and a fascinating portrayal of a very difficult man.

The film is also, and there is no warning in the previews, so this is buyer beware -- the film is also very depressing and downbeat.

The film derives from a novel by Mordecai Richler. In the book, Barney is suffering from Alzheimer's, and the book is a flashback, his version of the events of his life, told from his own point of view, an unreliable narrator, already suffering the beginnings of dementia. The movie, however, is plotted essentially linearly; though flashbacks fill in part of the story, there's the barest suggestion that these events are "his version" of the events.

Giamatti said the book is so different from the screenplay, that he didn't read it until after he made the movie, so it would not confuse his portrayal.


LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE
http://www.barneysversionthemovie.com/#/home

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1423894/

WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney%27s_Version_(film))

This movie can be strongly recommended, as long as you understand that it is a very serious, somber drama about the life and love life of a disturbed and disturbing man.

WARNING.
The following synopsis contains spoilers.
Or perhaps savers, if you were expecting to see a happy film about true love.
WARNING
A synopsis goes something like this: Shit happens. Worse shit happens. Something wonderful happens for decades, so we'll skip over that in a few moments of screen time. More shit happens. Terrible things happen. He loses his mind. He dies.

HIFF 2010 - FIRST PREVIEW: THE 2010 HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

THE HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2010
OCTOBER 7-11 2010

The Hamptons International Film Festival 2010 (HIFF) will run over the Columbus Day weekend, Thursday thru Monday, October 7-11.

For (much) more (reviews, interviews, pix, features) about HIFF 2010...

QPORIT: HIFF 2010


HIFF has just announced some of the major films, events, and participants for this year's festival, according to Indiewire, which has a long association with the festival (and other sources).

Paul Giamatti & Dustin Hoffman
BARNEY'S VERSION

The festival will open in East Hampton, on Thursday, October 7, with Richard J. Lewis' Barney's Version (based on a novel by Mordecai Richler), starring Paul Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman, and Minnie Driver.

Although not yet announced, there is usually a big party on opening night following the film.

THE KING'S SPEECH
The following night, Friday, October 8, the festival will open in Southampton with Tom Hooper's The King's Speech, starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.

The Hamptons Festival usually has screenings and events in many of the towns in and around the Hamptons on Long Island, incuding East Hampton, Southampton, Montauk, and Sag Harbour.

And many parties.

Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington & Marton Caokas
THE DEBT

The Centerpiece Film is John Madden's "The Debt", about a Mossad operation, starring Sam Worthington and Helen Mirren. (Madden directed Shakespeare in Love, and Proof.)

Natalie Portman
BLACK SWAN

The Closing Night Film (usually screened first on the day before the festival closes) will be Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan," about ballet, starring Natalie Portman. Aronofsky, who has visited HIFF many times and shown several films there, including the Sloan Foundation prize winner, The Fountain, has called this film a companion to The Wrestler!
MIRAL

Also announced is the screening of Julian Schnabel's Miral with Willem Dafoe and Vanessa Redgrave, a drama that takes place after the first Arab/Israeli war. Schnabel is expected to attend the festival. Julian Schnabel was the receipient of a Sloan Foundation prize for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

James Franco
127 HOURS
The Festival has a series of "Conversations with..." major film personalities. Isabella Rossellini and James Franco have so far been announced as participants. Danny Boyle's 127 Hours, with Franco, about a mountain climber trapped under a boulder, will be screened at the festival.

Franco was just the subject of a profile in last Sunday's NY Times. In addition to his "day job" as an actor, Franco is apparently pursuing parallel careers in art, filmmaking, writing and literature, and is just starting a PhD program in English at Yale.

A major highlight of the Festival every year is the Breakthrough Performers Program. Stanley Tucci will be the Mentor for this year's program.

MILLER'S CROSSING
The festival (together with IndieWire) toasts an industry leader each year. This year Ben Barenholtz will be honored (on Saturday, Oct 9). Marcia Gay Harden, Frances McDormand, Joe and Ethan Coen and John Turturro are expected to attend this event. Barenholtz was the owner/operator of the Elgin Theater, and a producer and promoter of indie films and indie filmmakers. This event will incude a 20th anniversary screening of the Coen Brothers' Miller's Crossing with Marcia Gay Hardin. Miller's Crossing was executive produced by Ben Barenholtz.

The Sloan Foundation, a sponsor of the festival, actively promotes the presentation of science and scientists in feature films, including development programs for screenplays featuring scientists and scientific themes. They usually sponsor several interesting events relating to science and the art of filmmaking during the festival.

HIFF was also active this summer with several very interesting events connected with the festival including a Summer Docs program of three documentaries. One event featured Daniel Ellsberg, who released the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam war. At a time when the release of papers on the combat in Afghanistan is so significant, this documentary was especially timely. Alec Baldwin, a host of the Summer Docs series is a frequent participant at HIFF events.

HIFF, concentrating all its energies into a single weekend, is known for its fine parties. Here are two snapshots from last year's parties:

Steve Buschemi
At a HIFF 2009 party
Photo by Eric Roffman
Spokesmodel for HIFF sponsor VUE
At a HIFF 2009 party
Photo by Eric Roffman

The Hamptons International Film Festival 2010 (HIFF)

will run over the Columbus Day weekend,

Thursday thru Monday, October 7-11.

For (much) more (reviews, interviews, pix, features) about HIFF 2010...
QPORIT: HIFF 2010