Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- sardonic
- macabre
- bleak
- dark comedy night
- crime movie evening
What critics said
Critics found a promising directorial debut and a vivid Emma Thompson performance, but broadly viewed the dated gallows humor and indulgent ending as weaknesses.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Body Parts Killer investigation and Barney's accidental killing are treated through macabre comic incongruity.
Barney's declining clientele and forced removal from his barber's chair directly precipitate the central conflict.
Holdall and MacPherson increasingly suspect Barney while Robertson dismisses their theory, producing competing interpretations of the killings.
Barney's unintended killing and subsequent suspicion connect his private misfortune to the serial-killer case.
Films like The Legend of Barney Thomson, and why
The Guard
Shared gallows humor, working-class British setting, accidental criminality, and escalating comic misfortune.
In Bruges
Shared darkly comic murder premise, eccentric investigators, and a blend of crime mystery with macabre absurdity.
The Trouble with Harry
Shared black comedy, hapless protagonist, criminal entanglements, and bleakly playful tone.
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Carlyle
- Release Date
- 2015-07-24
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (211)
Cast
- Robert Carlyle
- Emma Thompson
- Ray Winstone
- Ashley Jensen
- James Cosmo
- Tom Courtenay
- Kevin Guthrie
- Martin Compston
- Stephen McCole
- Brian Pettifer
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Legend of Barney Thomson about?
- A luckless Glasgow barber is pulled into a grotesque murder investigation after an accidental killing turns his stagnant life into a nightmare of suspicion and black comedy.
- What is The Legend of Barney Thomson like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Legend of Barney Thomson as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Legend of Barney Thomson violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Legend of Barney Thomson as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Legend of Barney Thomson?
- Critics found a promising directorial debut and a vivid Emma Thompson performance, but broadly viewed the dated gallows humor and indulgent ending as weaknesses.
- Which films are like The Legend of Barney Thomson?
- Films with a similar feel include The Guard, In Bruges, and The Trouble with Harry.
- How long is The Legend of Barney Thomson?
- The Legend of Barney Thomson runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Legend of Barney Thomson?
- In United States, The Legend of Barney Thomson is available to rent or buy from Google Play Movies, YouTube.
