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'Barry Munday' review

There's the good kind of quirky and then there's this

By Geoff Berkshire

Metromix
September 30, 2010

Critic's Rating:

Judy Greer and Patrick Wilson (Credit: Magnolia)

Patrick Wilson as Barry in "Barry Munday."

(L-R) Malcolm McDowell as Mr. Farley, Chloë Sevigny as Jennifer and Cybill Shepherd as Mrs. Farley in "Barry Munday."

(L-R) Malcolm McDowell as Mr. Farley and Judy Greer as Ginger in "Barry Munday."

(L-R) Shea Whigham as Donald and Patrick Wilson as Barry in "Barry Munday."

(L-R) Judy Greer as Ginger and Patrick Wilson as Barry in "Barry Munday."

Barry Munday

Running time:: 98 minutes

Rated:: R

Cast:

Patrick Wilson -

Barry Munday

Judy Greer -

Ginger Farley

Chloë Sevigny -

Jennifer Farley

Jean Smart -

Carol Munday

Cybill Shepherd -

Mrs. Farley

See full cast

Director:: Chris D'Arienzo

Overall User Rating:: (0 ratings)

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Self-appointed ladies man Barry Munday (Patrick Wilson) wakes up in a hospital to learn his testicles have been removed after an unfortunate altercation in a movie theater. The bad news keeps coming when frizzy-haired oddball Ginger (Judy Greer) claims she's pregnant with his baby as a result of a one night stand Barry can't remember. But Barry goes along with it anyway, realizing this could be his last chance to have a child.

The verdict: Just what we need, another self-consciously quirky indie comedy as low on laughs as it is on inspiration. Writer-director Chris D'Arienzo tries to balance his forced wacky scenarios with some genuine sweetness, but the attempts don't stick. Wilson, Greer and co-stars Chloe Sevigny and Jean Smart are game, but the limited depth to these goofy loser characters gets lost somewhere between the lowbrow broadness of Jared Hess ("Napoleon Dynamite") and the sharper, smarter edge of Jody Hill ("Observe & Report"). What D'Arienzo doesn't do is find a unique approach of his own.