MovieChat Forums > Barry (2016) Discussion > Obama fan here. This movie is terrible.

Obama fan here. This movie is terrible.

posted 7 years ago by kelsosemail
4 replies | jump to latest

Speaking from a movie fan/buff point of view, this thing is a mess.

What's the inciting incident? (There isn't one.)
How does the first act end? (First act?)
What's happens at the midpoint to take us in a new direction? (AROUND the midpoint is where the questioning kind-of starts, but....)
What had changed by the end of the All Along The Watchtower montage? And what happened during? (The answer to both is nothing. HINT: If you're thinking of a montage in a movie where all you're going to do is what your lead character think - cut the montage.)

We do get an event to send us into the 3rd act...but then pretty much nothing happens.

It's like someone had an idea for the last few lines of dialogue in a movie about Obama's "Barry" days, and then just put 90 minutes or so of "stuff" in front of it.

"What else do you like? Lazy? Ugly? Horny? I got 'em all."
"You don't look lazy."

[–] Gruntled 7 years ago

I think the core issue is his search among his identities. The inciting incident occurs before the film begins. We know that he transferred from Occidental to Columbia - and, more exactly, to New York City - to be in closer touch with black America.

I agree that the acting is not great - though I thought Ashley Judd was excellent as his mother - but I think the young and new cast did a credible job.

[–] kelsosemail 7 years ago

I think the core issue is his search among his identities.

That's fine. And I don't disagree. Still, in terms of structuring a story that takes us on that ride? I still call this a pretty epic fail. Give me some "This happened, which made him begin questioning on a deeper level. Then this happened that upped the stakes or made him change course. Then this happened that made him open his eyes in a way he hadn't before." As it was, we got a lot of him just...thinking. (And smoking.)

The inciting incident occurs before the film begins.

F that. That's not the way movies are supposed to work. And I don't mind someone playing with and/or challenging the way movies are "supposed to work" - but I admire that when the filmmaker knows the rules and turns them on their head in their own way. Not when they just ignore them.

We know that he transferred from Occidental to Columbia - and, more exactly, to New York City - to be in closer touch with black America.

Now, see, you're describing a much better start to this movie. Show us this decision, and what inspired it. Then move on from there.

While it might feel different to you, truth is I'm not arguing with you in a "YOU'RE WRONG, NOW F OFF!" kind of way. I'm not bothered by your comment - I'm offended (might be a little strong, that word) by these filmmakers not doing a better job with such an important subject, particularly at this time. In other words, I was really looking forward to this...and it blew.

"What else do you like? Lazy? Ugly? Horny? I got 'em all."
"You don't look lazy."

[–] drtturner 7 years ago

An equally big Obama supporter here and I dare say that the scattered approach of the storytelling perfectly encapsulates Barry'a own flight of ideas and unfinished product at such a young age. I come from the Spike Lee joint Fandom and therefore I can have an unorthodox approach and a movie that seems to cut off in mid-sentence. Remember the Samuel L. Jackson film FRESH?

[–] dbryantvfx 7 years ago

Sounds like someone took a film class and now think they are a movie expert and how movies are suppose to work.