We first meet Barney in 1970s Rome where he, Boogie and their artist friend Leo live a bohemian lifestyle of booze and drugs. Barney then moves back to his native Montreal to pursue a career as a TV producer of a soap opera about a Canadian Mountie. The two strands of his life, his marriages and his friendship with the talented but feckless Boogie intertwine until Boogie’s disappearance.
It’s a film that’s not afraid to be touching one moment and laugh-out funny in the next but it nevers feels affected or forced. Minnie Driver is brilliant as his gauche second wife. Dustin Hoffman nearly steals the film as Giamatti’s ex-cop father Izzy particularly during the dinner party scene at Barney's in-laws.
The lugubrious Giamatti is excellent (as always) as Barney showing how one man can live an ultimately worthy and decent life despite being a bit of a rogue.
Barney’s Version is one of the better films I’ve seen recently with an life-affirming message about life, love, friendship, memory and regret.
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