La Légende de Barney Thomson

source: Barney Thomson

Some of the negative reviewers on here need to return to playing with their i-phones, because only that will take them back to a plastic world that simply doesn't get surreal black comedy. Surreal - ever heard of the word? And all you lot can say is that the plot is "unlikely"! Yes, surreal. That is what Barney Thomson is. And black comedy. You can feel it coming right from the start, the opening an essay in drabness and dreariness which would sit well in a Python sketch, and just as in one of those, you know something is about to leap out and grab you, but you have no idea what. Something totally unexpected. And just as nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition, neither does anyone expect what Barney is about to do, and then nobody could possibly expect what his mother is about to do, and has indeed been doing for some time. It is an absolute riot, and my wife and I were falling off our seats with laughter. Brilliant! 10/10

The Legend Of Barney Thomson has quite the eclectic cast, and whilst watching it, it gives the false security that you are actually enjoying the grotesque, Sweeney Todd like feel the film has to it. And then you finish watching it and begin to spot the flaws which the film has. From a directorial point of view, Carlyle does quite a good job directing this left-field piece. Normally, actors with whom have played gritty characters in the past, usually go for a more depressing hard hitting film for their debut, like Nil By Mouth, Tyrannosaur, or The War Zone, not a bizarre crime comedy with some very colourful characters. if you are a fan of Carlyle, he's as good as he ever is, fleshing out the titular character and giving him all manner of ticks and traits that hinder his quest to keep things under wraps. and this could be the fundamental flaw as to why the rest of the film doesn't really work, he was probably too focused on his own motivation than to pep up the other members of the cast. Winstone does his best grumpy copper role, and for the first few minutes of the film, it's quite amusing, until you realise that he does nothing more than utter xenophobic sentences, and is generally abhorrent toward everyone in the film. Emma Thompson fares a little better, her and Carlyle are wonderful when they are together, but really she is nothing more than your comedy boozy sweary mother, it's like Emma Thompson being in that poisonous drivel Mr's Browns Boys. The film does have some good ideas, and for the most part, it's a pretty decent film, with some original elements, and some very strange characters. it's just the fact that some of the main characters are just too clichéd for their own good, and ruin any sense of realism the film was getting from it's gritty setting. Worth seeing for Carlyle, and Winstone if you want to see him do another pointless shouty copper role.

It's almost hard to believe how good the story is. The trailer already tells it's going to be a very interesting crime comedy, but at least for me the trailer didn't exactly give a clear picture of the story., and it turned out to be a lot different from what I expected. The film is filled with many exciting twists and turns that keep the viewer on their toes. The dialogue is also amazingly funny, and a clear sign of amazing writing. There's just something especially detailed about this movie. It looks and sounds like every part was so carefully planned. Of course that's the case with most movies, but in some movies with casual, uninteresting cinematography it's not as visible. The cinematography in this film by Fabian Wagner reminds me of Wes Anderson's movies, and Filth (2013). I especially loved the beginning, and how the music created such a calm, chill atmosphere, which was then wonderfully conflicting with what was going on with the murderer. The Legend of Barney Thomson is extremely skillfully made movie, with hilarious yet intriguing story. The most important thing to remember though is to be prepared with subtitles, if you have trouble understanding people from Glasgow.

This is not a film for everyone, specially the swearing. I found it hilarious at times, serious at others, yet when all is said and done there was an undertone of reality that seemed too surreal in its absurdity. The Scottishness will be be missed by some as Americanness is missed in other films. It was nevertheless very entertaining and reasonably clever in a naive and old fashioned way. I will never forget certain moments in this film and this is why i give it a fairly high rating. My favourite moment has to be at the bingo hall when in the entrance. I found the ending a bit boring but generally there were more than enough good moments to make up for that.

I don't know why it is but when actors go north of the border they seem to become virtually incoherent.Though maybe it was for that reason they cast Ray Winstone.I found this black comedy to be quite funny.

If you appreciate a good black comedy as much as I do, you will enjoy this flick. It was well done. I give Carlyle a lot of credit for his directorial debut with an excellent performance by Emma Thompson, who was a riot. Overall it was quite a nice ride, very entertaining stuff. If you don't have a sense of humor, you will not get this film at all.

I very nearly didn't watch this film, though I admire the acting work of Carlyle and Winstone, and the subject matter of accidental serial killer intrigued me...because I was put off when I discovered that Emma Thompson was playing Carlyle's mother, and Thompson being only two years older (born 1959) than Carlyle (born 1961). I thought how bloody stupid, and caused me to instantly lose respect for the producer's / director's casting decisions. It would have been more realistic and have greater integrity to cast someone like Judy Dench (born 1934) as Barney's mum, or Helen Mirren, who easily have had Carlyle at the age of 15. Having said this, I did eventually view the DVD of the film of "The Legend of Barney Thomson", because I have an interest in serial killers, Sweeney Todd, etc since I have written a crime novel "The Ripper Code". I must say I did enjoy the movie though. I liked everyone's performances, even Thompson's...though I still would have preferred a more authentic actress play the role, i.e. someone who was in her seventies. Actually I was pleasantly surprised to see my friend and fellow actor, Dolina Maclennan, in a tiny cameo role, and I sent her a message "If I had been making the movie I would have cast you in the Emma Thompson role. She was good (which she should be, that's what she is paid to be), but inappropriately cast as Carlyle's Mum...in truth she would have been two years old when she had him. Talk about "age-ist" casting! How many great leading movie roles for seventy-plus actresses are there - not many. And when they do come along, it is given to someone who is two years older than the son she is supposed to have given birth to. I found Emma Thompson a terrible distraction in the role, and unable to suspend my disbelief. Apart from you not playing such a gift of a part, I nonetheless thought the film was brilliant with its grotesque comedy."

The Legend of Barney Thomson (2015): Dir: Robert Carlyle / Cast: Robert Carlyle, Emma Thompson, Ray Winstone, Ashley Jensen, Sam Robertson: The legend in question comes through several errors of conduct that result in a few accidental murders. Robert Carlyle plays Barney Thomson, an ill tempered barber who is about to be fired but a tussle with his boss ends with scissors stuck in his chest. Paranoid Barney packs up the body in hopes of figuring out what to do. He goes to his ill mannered mother for support only to learn more grim truths. As director Carlyle proves to understand old British humour and excels greatly here despite some harsh gross moments involving body parts. Carlyle plays off the paranoia with great comic payoff as he feeds one lie after another to two competing investigators that are bearing down on him. Emma Thompson plays his cynical mother who views the body in her son's trunk as something to scold him for as oppose to be shocked by. Ray Winstone plays a frustrated cop investigating the disappearance while Ashley Jensen plays an angry and aggressive investigator who is constantly exchanging nasty insulting one-liners with Winstone. This all concludes on a clever standoff that pits Thomson as the main and secondary target. Extremely funny edgy comedy that examines the messes we sometimes find ourselves in and the faulty methods we may undertake just to cover them up. In the end Thomson observes everyone from outside the barber shop trying to understand how he became a legend and the absurdity of it all. Score: 9 / 10

Robert Carlyle is Barney Thomson, a 50 something loner and mama's boy who works as a barber in Glasgow. His mother is played by Emma Thompson, who is magnificent as a hard drinking, chain smoking compulsive gambler. Barney drafts his mom to help him after he accidentally kills his boss and requires her assistance in hiding the body. What follows is an hilarious series of bizarre events, including the pursuit by a foul mouthed detective, Hold all(Ray Winestone). My only criticism is that as an American, I had trouble at times with the heavy Scottish accents. I would recommend subtitles for any viewers not from Scotland. The look of the film is a cross breeding of Quentin Tarrantino and the Coen brothers, most especially Fargo. A solid 7.5/10.