3.7 Stars A period piece with a very narrow narrative focus. It chronicles the fortunes and misfortunes of one man. Quick fortune and Misfortune come readily to Barry Lyndon, who's character quickly goes from a naive young man to a life long gambling opportunist. A narrator which is present throughout the film will remark that Barry has changed after some portion of his life, but Barry rarely shows it in the character's actions or in any subtle way of the actor playing him. The film relies heavily on the narrator to give the particular narrative and character insights that draw the audience's attention to one element over another. In contrast to this narrow narrative focus the cinematography showcases some wide shots of scenery and character positions that would be more captivating if they did not, in a way, pop into existence as a moody background for some drama playing on scene. Only at the very end of the film do Barry's actions show a deliberate peculiarity that comes from a interplay of interpersonal relationships brewed between him and others through his years. The casting is excellent, the musical score is effective, almost everything about the film is above par technically and thematically. That being said I still found myself feeling bored and disaffected throughout the film because of the easiness of certain developments over the drawn-out length of others; the predictability of the emergence of sudden events that would facilitate the plot. I detected a, mostly comedic, British distain and negative characterization throughout the film. Portraying British Officers as cowards, aloof, and in one short scene, gay. I'd not recommend paying to watch Barry Lyndon unless it was for a theater showing, which isn't how I viewed it, but I could see how doing so could enhance the experience a lot.