Well Done Character Study. Not as Boring as its Detractors Claim.

Rating: 8/10 (28 August 2012)

Full confession: I have not read the William Makepeace Thackaray novel from which this movie was adapted, so I have no way to tell how true to the source material Kubrick made his film. Watching the film on its own, without any knowledge of the manner the characters were constructed or themes Thackaray tried to convey in his original novel, I regard it a solid effort. While Kubrick's body of film work is small yet memorable, I haven't seen all of his movies, but of those few that I have seen, "Barry Lyndon" seems like one of his better works. The film is an engaging and entertaining character study of an Irish rake who, through guile and luck, rises from a point of low social standing to become one of the members of the English aristocracy, only to fall again through his prodigal nature. Some critics have felt that Ryan O'Neal played the role of Redmond Barry (later titled Barry Lyndon after he married an aristocratic widow) in an uninspired and emotionless way. I disagree: O'Neal was certainly not effusive with his emotions, but neither was he dull or lifeless. He played the role credibly: Barry is more a subtle schemer than a demonstrative dandy. His background as an Irish farm boy who lived by his wits rather than his charm or book-smarts makes his understated character very believable; Barry is the "strong silent type" who will use guile to get what he wants, or, should that fail, his fists.
The movie did not seem overlong; it is more a character study than a plot-driven drama. The movie is like a slow-moving stream that takes its time to explore every twist and turn in the reprobate Barry's life. It is fun to watch how Barry lifts himself up to a life of fortune, then lose it again. The film makes it easy to determine the character arc by dividing the story into two parts (and title cards explicitly describe the arc): part one is on Barry's rise to the top of the gentry, part two is on his fall. It is engaging to follow along, and is seldom dull or plodding. While O'Neal makes a positive impression as the protagonists, the other characters are fun to watch, too. The antagonist of the second half, Lord Bullingdon, is a great contrast to Barry: bitter, emotional, and quick to act in a clumsy or demonstrative manner. His hatred for Barry is easy to understand, and no doubt will gain some sympathy from the audience, though this sympathy is tempered a great deal by Bullingdon's dandyish, dull-witted and vindictive demeanor. Less interesting is the character of Lady Lyndon. She says almost nothing in the movie, and merely reacts to situations in a passive manner. Her character is dull and uninteresting. Lady Lyndon would have been more interesting if she spoke more often to either Barry or Bullingdon, and there was some visible anger or conflict towards either for their disgraceful behavior.
With "Barry Lyndon", there is no doubt that Kubrick could make a beautifully-crafted yet subtly engaging character study that was just as good--if not better---than his shocking satires, like "Dr. Strangelove" or "A Clockwork Orange". I understand some may balk at the apparently pat morality expressed in the movie--which seems like nothing more than a film version of "A Rake's Progress". Nevertheless, Kubrick has crafted a wonderful three-dimensional character in Redmond Barry, and watching his triumphs and failures are entertaining to watch, even if the protagonist is himself ultimately unsympathetic. Kubrick also proved that he had an eye for detail when making a period piece. The sets and costumes beautifully evoke the decadence of eighteenth century Europe.
In all, "Barry Lyndon" lives on as an unsung masterpiece by Kubrick, and it deserves a reputation far better than has currently.