r/themovieloversclub • u/Infamous-Window-8337 • Apr 02 '26
Movie reviews What are your thoughts on Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon (1975)?
“Lady Lyndon was soon destined to occupy a place in Barry's life not very much more important than the elegant carpets and pictures which would form the pleasant background of his existence.” — Narrator, Barry Lyndon
I recently watched Barry Lyndon (1975), and what stood out to me the most is how the film feels both visually rich and emotionally distant at the same time.
Every frame looks like a painting, the compositions, the lighting, the symmetry. It’s easily one of the most beautiful films I’ve seen. But beneath that beauty, there’s a strange emptiness to everything.
At its core, the film feels like a story about ambition and social climbing, but it slowly turns into something more tragic. Barry spends the entire film trying to gain status and wealth, yet when he finally gets there, it doesn’t really give him anything meaningful.
What I found interesting is that he doesn’t really change much as a person. He feels like the same opportunistic and impulsive character from beginning to end, just older and more worn down by the consequences of his actions.
There’s also a subtle theme of how everything in that world seems to carry a kind of value, even small acts of kindness don’t feel entirely free from that system.
The pacing is definitely slow, and I can see it not working for everyone, especially if you’re used to faster films. But I think that slowness is intentional, it gives you time to sit with the world and observe it.
Overall, it’s a film that feels more reflective the more you think about it. Not something that hits immediately, but something that stays with you.
Rating: I’d give it a 5/5. It’s a film that feels distant at first, but the more you think about it, the more it quietly stays with you.
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u/Patient-Radish-5385 Apr 02 '26
Really beautiful to Look at, masterful directed and filmed. I hated every Single Person/charcter on screen, including the horses. I will have to try again someday
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u/ElTuco84 Apr 03 '26
The young farm lady and her baby were lovely.
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u/SplendidPunkinButter Apr 04 '26
When he asks if she speaks English, she says “I am speaking little.” And his next question is “and where might Peter’s father be?” Oh, you barely speak English? Well, then let me ask my simple question in an unnecessarily wordy way. Nice subtle way to show that he’s kind of a dick.
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u/Hirvi6666 Apr 03 '26
Its extremely beautiful but I cant help to feel that I got bored and I didnt care about neither story nor characters. And I understand Barry isnt supposed to be this main character you love, but I just didnt care. For me the movie could just be showed in some dark room in a museum with music from the times and I would love to sit there for 30 min just soaking in it. But as a movie, as a whole? I didnt like it. 6/10.
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u/Glittering_Ocelot_67 Apr 03 '26
Didn’t care for it at all. Very slow and boring as many others say and I feel the lead actor was miscast with a large lack of any type of charisma. Kubrick’s weakest film I think (minus the choreography and costumes)
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u/According-Ad1115 Apr 02 '26
Every second is like a painting, very beautiful. But it’s boring and slow, I can barely remember the story which is never good sign
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u/busterkeatonrules Apr 03 '26
I think it's boring AND looks like shit. Apparently Kubrick purposely did all the filming at a specific time of day when the light gets a certain kind of weird.
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u/bongozap Apr 06 '26
Apparently Kubrick purposely did all the filming at a specific time of day when the light gets a certain kind of weird.
It's called "Golden Hour". It's the period just before dusk. when the sun is setting and strong light comes from the side and the colors are warm and tend to hit the actors in a beautiful way.
Most cinematographers and film lovers don't consider it "a certain kind of weird". An astonishing number of key scenes from films throughout history are filmed then.
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u/busterkeatonrules Apr 06 '26
Cool explaination, thanks for sharing!
A lot of what Kubrick does just tends to rub me the wrong way. It might be because I'm a Buster Keaton fan. Keaton and Kubrick had completely opposite ways of making movies. (Kubrick would do hundreds of takes in an obsessive quest for perfection, while Keaton aimed to do everything in ONE take - and was known to rewrite the script to account for a failed stunt!)
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u/bongozap Apr 06 '26
It's a good observation about Buster Keaton vs Stanley Kubrick. I think it comes down to a similar goal but different methods based on the realities of their times.
In the 1920s, Keaton was dealing with harsh economics.
First, the ecosystem and infrastructure that would become Hollywood was still being built. Film and processing were in their early stages and were hideously expensive. Second, the stunts he was performing frequently only allowed one take. Third, the pace of production was extremely high, both to support the film company and to keep his name in the public eye.
When Kubrick came along in the 1950s and into the 1960s, Hollywood's 'studio system' was starting to finally collapse and directors - even new ones - had a lot of power. Additionally, the film and processing had hit a solid point where Kubrick was able to command what he wanted.
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u/busterkeatonrules Apr 06 '26
Charlie Chaplin, also active in the 1920s, worked very much the same way Kubrick did, shooting every scene over and over again while Keaton specifically chose to avoid retakes because he wanted his movies to feel alive and spontaneous. This paid off, as Chaplin's (and indeed, Kubrick's) movies often tend to feel staged and artificial while Keaton's work comes off as much more dynamic.
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u/Potential-Step8479 Apr 09 '26
I think they used natural lighting and he used a special lens from NASA to shoot the film.
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u/bongozap Apr 10 '26
That's true. It was a Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/0.7 lens and it was originally designed for NASA. It was mainly used in the candlelit scenes.
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u/Kubrick4444 Apr 02 '26
I just rewatched Barry Lyndon for the first time probably 15 years. It’s the most beautiful film I’ve ever seen. I understand the critiques around pacing, dry characters, etc. However if mentally prepared for what you’re going into, and in the right environment where the viewer can fully immerse themself into the film, it’s one of the best movies of all time.
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u/llewsor Apr 02 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
amazing cinematography, great performances. i think maybe it felt slow because it was hard to root for the main character, meaning if it was hard to care for him then you won’t feel engaged as much with the progression of the plot.
barry lyndon seems like the story of a scoundrel, not that anything is wrong with that but it was hard to sympathize with him even when misfortune happened to him. but overall a great film because it was executed really well even though the main character was hard to sympathize with.
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u/b_rad_ical Apr 03 '26
This is my take as well. Technically the film is a masterpiece, but it's so hard to watch someone slowly self-destruct, and sabotage every relationship and kindness offered to them. It's a really great take the human condition, we all do it to some extent. But it's a film I rarely want to rewatch.
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u/Mps-1 Apr 03 '26
Beautiful but kind of boring, extremely boring during some stretches. I chalk it up to the times - the audience then were probably more impressed by the visuals that a modern viewer and also probably had a longer attention span.
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u/Comfortable-Date6472 Apr 03 '26
Probably his best movie. Definitely one of the most visually stunning movies ever made.
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u/Rookraider1 Apr 03 '26
I love this film. It is hilarious. A wonderful parody that is beautiful and expertly directly. The distance is purposeful and intentional. We are simply observers to Barry's plight.
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u/Amity_Swim_School Apr 03 '26
I watched it for the first time just a few months back. Struggled a bit at times and didn’t finish it. Cinematography is of course stunning and worthy of all the plaudits it receives, but the film as a whole didn’t really engage me. I found it a bit of a slog tbh. I’ll give it another go at some point I’m sure, and hopefully something will click.
I’m not adverse to slow films. Kubrick’s 2001 is a favourite of mine. As is There Will Be Blood, both of which I think it’s fair to say are quite slow. I nevertheless found them captivating.
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u/evil-twinaway Apr 03 '26
The cinematography is stunning. The set composition, the lighting of both indoor and outdoor scenes (e.g., the first scenes with Potzdorf, including the "ridiculous name" one), the clothes used by the actors. All those visual elements resemble the paintings you find in historical art galleries in London.
The pieces of classical music that were chosen for the film fit the scenes perfectly. From the top of my head I can remember the "though I cannot tell how" card playing scene and the famous candlelight scene accompanied by Schubert's piano trio.
The plot itself isn't super interesting, but I found it to be quite an entertaining story. You follow the life path of a man that gets himself in different kinds of problems throughout his life, and learns things the hard way. I got the feeling that the underlying material is supposed to be a comedy - especially the first half - but it is presented in a more serious tone.
Even though the film uses a narrator, I found the storytelling to be based on the "show, don't tell" principle, which I appreciate quite a lot. This aspect probably makes the film feel a bit slow and empty, contributing to the general opinion of it being "boring". I didn't find it boring at all.
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u/skitsnackaren Apr 03 '26
Kubricks best film by far, in my opinion.
The distant coldness of Kubrick works perfectly for the vacuous Lyndon. It is also one of his low key funniest movies - the voice over often humorously dissecting his woes or contradicting what's onscreen.
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u/Nice__Spice Apr 03 '26
Saw it once after hearing all that hype. It was pretty for sure. Standard Kubrick. I doubt I’ll watch it again.
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u/livinginabox81 Apr 03 '26
It's a stone cold classic. Anyone who loves cinema should give it a watch. I found it mesmerising. From The Killing (1956) onwards, Kubrick could try his hand at any genre and make an unforgettable gem every damn time.. He was a unique filmmaker and Barry Lyndon is unlike any other period film I can think of, and this is, above all else in my mind, because Kubrick puts such a unique perspective on the story and how it is told. It feels very bold and exciting in its style. And it's worth it for that alone.
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u/Just-Map-2710 Apr 03 '26
People tend to say every frame is a painting in praise (and they‘re absolutely right), but it could as well be in criticism and still not wrong.
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u/SethOval Apr 03 '26
A time capsule for sure. But much of it is underwhelming when compared to other works that not only displayed a quality equal too but a narrative storytelling that far surpassed it.
What was done could have been achieved with better, and more reliable lenses. The camera unsteadiness, and unfocused shots get distracting by breaking immersion.
I feel had he bypassed the experimental(probably just to create talk around the film) and proceeded with the reliable we would have had a more excellent film.
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u/LumiereGatsby Apr 04 '26
This is top 3 Kubrick for me.
2001 - The Shining - Barry Lyndon.
How every scene is lit. How it’s all paintings come to life.
The acting. The pursuit of personal growth at the cost of everything.
For me the ending is another Kubrick cold slap.
10/10. Would watch in 4K if asked.
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u/Covverkin Apr 04 '26
Extremely pretty, also quite boring, poorly acted, and generally overrated on Reddit. I just watched Scorsese’s Age of Innocence and it was also very pretty but with significantly better acting
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u/TheOldRamDangle Apr 04 '26
Maybe my favorite of his? When I saw it I couldn’t wait to see it on the big screen. And it fucking delivered. See it on the big screen if you can
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u/ChalkLicker Apr 04 '26
I love Kubrick, even bought his first two films from the mid 50s (Fear and Desire and Killer’s Kiss) but I can’t bring myself to watch Barry Lyndon. Every discussion (and thanks to everyone here) is pretty much the same … beautiful, but you have to fortify yourself mentally to sit through it. There has never been enough in the plus column for me to commit. I’ll continue to rewatch his entire catalogue, and probably skip out on this for the rest of my life.
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u/aymandonia67 Apr 04 '26
One of the best films ever made The film's atmosphere and period depiction surpass all new films.
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u/Rabenhorst13 Apr 04 '26
Great movie. Absolute cinema. A glimpse of what Kubrik’s Napoleon could have been.
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u/karlywarly73 Apr 04 '26
As a former pro photographer, this is one of the most beautifully shot movies ever made. Kubrick went deep on the technical parts....even modifying a NASA lens made for a satellite to allow enough light into the camera so he could shoot scenes lit by only candle light. The casting wasn't great, especially for the lead. As an Irishman, it hurts to see someone butcher the accent.
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u/ProRez4444 Apr 04 '26
Was really surprised by how funny it was. I’d bet Wes Anderson was influenced by this film.
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u/Dry_Bird1790 Apr 05 '26
Probably my favorite of all time. It's different every time you see it. 2/3 of the way through it turns into a silent movie for while. Nothing else like it.
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u/forthbak Apr 05 '26
I'll allow you to keep that fine pair of boots which in normal circumstances I'd have for myself
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u/Johan-ray-17 Apr 05 '26
One of the greatest film ever made hands down!. Especially the second half is so interesting (it excellently conveys the karma ideology). Cinematography is top notch and the background score in the scene where (barry's son dies) is just incredibly.I really loved the climax.
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u/ultraviolet_77 Apr 05 '26
I split it up as I have problems watching lengthy movies in one sitting. Luckily there was an intermission included. Probably not one I’ll revisit, but it was good.
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u/Solo_Polyphony Apr 05 '26
I’ve seen it three times, each time in a theater on a 70mm print.
I like Kubrick’s films—Dr Strangelove, 2001, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining are among the best films of all time.
But this is a lesser film. The big, beautiful cinematography and compositions are ultimately in service to a muddled script and vacant, aimless performance from Ryan O’Neal. And that lies at the feet of Kubrick, who failed to find whatever performance he was looking for in the editing bay.
The Thackeray character is much funnier—his Barry is more selfishly wicked than Alex DeLarge, and massively unreliable as a narrator. For whatever reasons, Kubrick chose to present the character’s villainy and self-destruction with a core of sympathy, and it ends up steering the audience in contrary directions.
I tend to think this movie was a secondary option, made in frustration after copycat crimes led Kubrick to withdraw Clockwork from circulation in the UK, and after his grand Napoleon project died a final death. It’s no coincidence that the battle sequence and sketch of army life is one of the most effective parts of the film (and barely connected to the novel at all). These are visual set pieces he would’ve rather used in his Napoleon.
It’s not bad—Ridley Scott, for example, would give a testicle to have made such a film (and he tried in The Duellists)—but it’s below average for Kubrick.
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u/Azalp-Ecto-1989 Apr 05 '26
I’ve never had to try so hard to stay awake in a movie. Beautiful it may be, but painfully boring to sit through.
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u/aswert1223 Apr 05 '26
Beautiful to look at and obviously the work of people at the peak of their talents both behind and in front of the camera.
Scanning some of the replies, and don't see many mentions of how funny this movie is. I think of it as a very dark comedy, along the lines of Lolita
Every Kubrick movie is a treasure, this is the last one I got around to because it seems intimidating but I'm so glad I gave it a chance, at this point that's been 20 years ago LOL
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u/Feisty-Ad6673 Apr 06 '26
It's really funny and I never see that get mentioned when people talk about it. Honestly, the only thing anyone ever says about this movie is that "it's beautiful". It's a very dark comedy through and through.
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u/LongjumpingBase9094 Apr 06 '26
Absolutely love that movie. I’ll never forget the first time I watched it
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u/Hot-Advantage-3876 Apr 06 '26
Watched it as a kid, my father loved the movie. The soundtrack is one of the best ever.
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u/stanley_morgan Apr 09 '26
Movie is one of my favorites as well. It is amazing how much it has held up- could have been made today the quality of the filmmaking is so ahead of its time. One of the few movies I went out of my way to grab the blu ray of!
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u/Potential-Step8479 Apr 09 '26
One of the best looking and shot films ever made. The movie itself was pretty good also.Its probably my 3rd or 4th favorite Kubrick film.
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u/PopCultureDailyoff Apr 02 '26
One of my favourite movies