A Renaissance Painting Brought to Life by Stanley Kubrick

Rating: 8/10 (28 June 2019)

Barry Lyndon is one of Stanley Kubrick's most visually sticking films. Kubrick masterfully uses blocking, color, framing and lighting to compose a number of shots throughout the film that resemble and look as if they were moving 18th-century paintings and the results are incredible with some shot's seeming like they should be framed and shown in an art gallery. The costumes, the makeup, the hair, the sets and locations and the sheer scale of the film make it seem like Kubrick has transported back in time to film his period piece. The story is well paced and although it has a run time just over three hours every scene serves a purpose to the overall narrative and the film never feels boring. That's not to say that some scenes can be quite slow at times but usually the film cuts to the next scene before it becomes irritating. The acting in the first half of the film is nothing much to admire but in the second act as Barry's life slowly goes downhill is when the performances really become interesting. Barry Lyndon is essential viewing for fans of period dramas and fans of Kubrick's work with the directors eye for incredibly detailed and precise shots being truly beautiful at times during the film.