Review of film: "BARNEY'S VERSION" (with Paul Giamatti as a boorish businessman)

Review of film:  “BARNEY’S VERSION”

He’s blunt, irritable, self-centered, and hard-to-get-along-with in many ways.  I’m talking about Barney Panofsky (PAUL GIAMATTI) in this film based on the novel by Mordecai Richler about a man’s life and loves… 

…  As the story begins, Paul is in Italy with a bunch of friends--  Boogie (SCOTT SPEEDMAN) --  who is obsessed with using “pot” and avoiding finishing a novel he’s been writing;  artist Leo (THOMAS TRABACCHI);  and black American Cedric (CLE BENNETT)…

…  Impetuously, Paul decides he wants to marry a pretty woman in Italy--  & promptly does so…  But, he’s quickly DISINTERESTED & gets “rid” of her in his life…

…  Back home in Canada, Paul runs a TV production company called “Totally Unnecessary Productions”, which specializes in sort of soft-core “implied” porn including a show about a Canadian Mountie & his “love” Solange (MACHA GRENON) ... 

…  Paul is pretty much a tyrant to work for, as shown by the way he treats his underlings such as his Director # 1 (ADAM EGOYAN)…  His main interests are hockey (being a fanatic for his home Montreal Canadians team), cigars, & finding ways he can “use” other people for his own immediate gratifications…

…  On a typical “whim”, Paul meets a rich Jewish woman (MINNIE DRIVER) & decides to marry her (as his 2^nd wife)--  to the chagrin of her father who finds Paul to be amazingly BOORISH & unworthy of his loud-mouthed & spoiled daughter…

…  Paul’s father Izzy (DUSTIN HOFFMAN, in a fine warm-hearted role) is currently single, frequently horny & happy for his son’s finding someone to be with in life…  But, at the wedding reception, Paul sees someone he’s even MORE interested in as a wife, a pretty lady named Miriam Grant (ROSAMUND PIKE)--  who’s very “TURNED-OFF” at the outset by the way he starts to pursue her at the reception…

…  Barney, as usual, is an unreliable partner to wife Minnie, & she soon grows weary & TIRED of him & his “ways”…  When he goes away to be with his friend Scott at a lakeside cabin Paul owns, he’s displeased at the way Minnie FOLLOWS him there…

…  Paul is even more upset when he later finds Minnie in BED with Scott--  tho more angry at Scott whom he soon threatens (& is later accused of KILLING)…  After his initial jealousy over Scott’s liaision with Minnie, he’s soon pleased about it in that it gives him a way to get an easy DIVORCE from her without having to pay “thru the nose” for what he’s long wanted…

…  Since Paul is now divorced, Rosamund is more “OPEN” to his pursuing her in New York where she works, & eventually agrees to MARRY him…  In time, they have 2 KIDS--  Kate (ANNA HOPKINS) & then Michael (JAKE HOFFMAN--  a son of Dustin)…

…  In time, once the kids are grown, Rosamund is especially interested in returning to being a radio interviewer.  In that, she’s helped by a friend named Blair (BRUCE GREENWOOD), whom Barney soon grows jealous of…

…  Will self-absorbed Paul SCREW-UP some more in his latest relationship with Rosamund?...  Will detective O’Hearne (PAUL ADDY) be able to prove his long-held contention that Paul KILLED Scott?...  Will Paul be able to overcome what appears to be deep MEDICAL problem that arises in his life?...  Will we ever be able to see a “THOUGHTFUL” side to him?...

…  This is a FASCINATING & finely-acted story of around 40 years in the life of an ill-mannered & loutish man… Just when you think the story is about to end, NEW elements keep arising that continue it onwards…

… Paul (who’s onscreen almost constantly in the movie) recently won a GOLDEN GLOBE award as Best Actor in a comedy for his role in this.  The award is DESERVED in that it’s a wonderful performance--  tho the film (while funny in parts) is far more a DRAMA (or even dramedy) than a real “comedy”…

…  There are so many absorbing “levels” to the people in this intriguing story, I am rating it as 8.25 on a scale of 10…