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Barrymore

Play trailer Poster for Barrymore Released Nov 15, 2012 1h 23m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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73% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 67% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
John Barrymore, mere months away from death, rehearses for a revival of his 1920 Broadway triumph in Richard III in 1942.
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Barrymore

Critics Reviews

View All (22) Critics Reviews
Robert Bianco USA Today Think of it as one great performer saluting another. Jan 31, 2014 Full Review David Hinckley New York Daily News Plummer commands the stage as easily and firmly as Barrymore must have. He makes us believe that Barrymore would indeed, as he tries to reach deep into his past and revive Richard, keep recalling his wives or breaking in to sing a pop song of the day. Rated: 4/5 Jan 31, 2014 Full Review Stanley Kauffmann The New Republic The interest is in Plummer himself-who he is, what he can do. Jun 17, 2013 Full Review James Plath Movie Metropolis Plummer is phenomenal, but be warned: you really have to like one-person shows in order to enjoy this 84-minute tour de force. Rated: 7/10 May 23, 2013 Full Review James Croot Flicks (AU, NZ, UK) As an acting masterclass, it's educational and entertaining. Rated: 4/5 Nov 15, 2012 Full Review David Noh Film Journal International Christopher Plummer works hard to give us his idea of John Barrymore in this record of a theatrical tour-de-force, which is more dramatically florid than biographically enlightening. Nov 15, 2012 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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walter m Once upon a time, there was a great actor named John Barrymore(Christopher Plummer) who while specializing in the classics, also appeared in quite a few early sound films of Hollywood. By 1942, when this one person show was set, he was not the same person, years of alcohol abuse having damaged him beyond repair, ironically leaving him not unlike the character he played in "Dinner at Eight," a washed up actor who thinks he is still relevant. In Barrymore's case, it involves a last chance audition for Richard III. But he cannot even remember the magical words every actor has drilled into him, instead going off on tangents about his famous siblings. None of which is really that interesting or scintillating but the wonderful Christopher Plummer does what he can with such limited material. And that's got to be at least worth a look, right? Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Fantastic performance by my friend Christopher! I once kept John Barrymore in my lovely Sanitarium. He vas a disgosting letch! And a relentless dipsomaniac! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Barrymore is an unusual, yet entertaining, film. It is a "one man" movie, with Christopher Plummer stealing the show, accompanied by only one other man part of the time, Frank. However, the true meaning of Barrymore surpasses Plummer's excellent performance of the man, but instead is about Plummer himself. Plummer is an aging actor who wants to be taken seriously for one last role before he gets too old, just like John Barrymore. Well, he has succeeded. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Frances H Superb performance by Christopher Plummer. Having seen many films with John, Ethyl and Lionel Barrymore makes one even more aware of what it takes to give such a great virtuoso performance, which I saw on Great Performances. When you live in the country and don't get out much any more, you can only say, thank God for PBS! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/14 Full Review Audience Member brilliant performance, probably would be better to see it live. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Christopher Plummer spectacularly does his Tony Award-winning role as famed stage and film actor John Barrymore, attempting to make a late-career comeback. It is almost literally a filmed stage play, which feels odd at first, but Plummer's work keeps viewer interest. Some may be put off by the at-times salty language, but it is worth sticking with to view a master actor in an acclaimed performance. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis John Barrymore, mere months away from death, rehearses for a revival of his 1920 Broadway triumph in Richard III in 1942.
Director
Érik Canuel
Producer
Garth H. Drabinsky
Screenwriter
Érik Canuel
Distributor
BY Experience, Image Entertainment
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 15, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 1, 2014
Runtime
1h 23m
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