Interesting, but Long

Rating: 6/10 (21 December 2001)

Barry Lyndon is a GOOD film. However it is also an extremely long film, but a very interesting one. It is my least favorite Stanley Kubrick film, which is saying a lot about the man's career. This is the only Kubrick film I would not consider a GREAT film, but only a GOOD one. How many times do you come across a filmmaker who's movies are so good that the worst you could say about your least favorite one of his movies is that it is "GOOD?"
I definitely would have cut a few scenes if I had directed it, but I would recommend it for anyone who is interested in European history.
One word of advice: the movie is broken up into two parts and divided by an intermission. I suggest you watch the first part one day and the second part the next day. That's what I did and I think I enjoyed it more because of it.
Second word of advice: my mother bought me the Stanley Kubrick Collection on DVD for my birthday. I had not seen the movie before my mom bought the DVD for me. I was not very impressed with the DVD. It doesn't have any special features except French, widescreen, and a rather lame trailer and the quality wasn't up to par with the other DVDs in the collection. Until they make a better DVD, I suggest renting a widescreen VHS copy. Its cheaper that way.