Barry Lyndon is a 1975 movie directed by Stanley Kubrick.
Barry Lyndon tells the story of Redmond Barry, an Irish farm boy who seeks to climb the ladder of social nobility. Along the way, he serves as a soldier, a spy and a gambler before marrying into wealth. Eventually, he discovers the limits of his pursuits.
Purely for enjoyment, I listened to a few podcasts on Barry Lyndon – a movie that I found mostly entertaining. I was blown away by the disdain some in the movie community have towards this decadent period piece.
As an example – In case you like jaded film students discussing their hatred of film, take a listen:
Yet, even measured film critics seem to struggle with classifying this movie:
NY Times – How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Barry Lyndon
The Guardian – Why It’s Time to Reassess Kubrick’s Coffee Table Movie
Roger Ebert – Technically Awesome, Emotionally Distant and Classically Kubrick
At its worst, Barry Lyndon demands patience from an audience. It’s a movie that doesn’t rush. Our main character is painfully dull and/or is vague in his intentions. At times, stretches of silence have to be interpreted as a reading of Thackeray’s novel – a text that not all are familiar with.
Yet, Kubrick presents a rich, decadent landscape of sensory details. Barry Lyndon is a gorgeous movie. It’s visually stunning – capturing both the brutality and splendor of war, along with the devastating effects incurred by the pursuit of social mobility.
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