10/09/2010

Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Cinderella Man) and Dustin Hoffman are a perfect pair, together with director Richard J. Lewis, to rise to the challenge of bringing Mordecai Richler’s literary masterpiece "Barney’s Version" to the big screen.

Screenwriter, executive producer and director of hit television series CSI, Lewis convinced Canadian producer Robert Lantos to hire him to direct a film adaptation of the book. The screenplay went through several drafts over the years, in an attempt to remain faithful to the essence of the novel. The final version was penned by Michael Konyves and approved by Richler.

Some critics at this morning’s screening felt that Barney’s Version [+see also:
trailer
film profile] failed to fully capture the caustic edge and "political incorrectness" of the book. But there is no doubt that this humorous and moving dramatic comedy is strongly directed by Lewis, with an admirable performance by Giamatti.

The film is a Canadian/Italian co-production. Fandango’s Domenico Procacci said: "I loved the book and I followed the project for years"..

The decision to shift the location from Paris to Rome for part of the film, in agreement with Richler, encouraged Lantos to look for some Italian partners and this led to the minority Italian investment. Italy also made an artistic contribution: Italian actors appear in the film, the musical score is composed by Pasquale Catalano and the costumes are designed by Nicoletta Massone".

(Translated from Italian)