Barry
A young Barack Obama searches for identity, intimacy, and belonging amid the racial tensions of 1980s New York.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- reflective
- intimate
- serious
- thoughtful movie night
- historical drama viewing
What critics said
Critics generally found the speculative portrait of Obama's formative college years flawed but compelling as an intimate glimpse of American history in the making.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The story concentrates on Barack Obama's college years before his presidency and public leadership.
Barry navigates being one of the few Black students at Columbia while confronting judgments about race and belonging.
The film frames Obama's early adulthood as a personal moment connected to American history taking shape.
Barry struggles to find his place amid Columbia's social world, interracial relationships, and racist opinions.
Films like Barry, and why
The Butler
formative political biography, youthful protagonist, and reflective historical drama
Lee Daniels' The Butler
biographical drama focused on a future political leader confronting American racial history
Loving
intimate coming-of-age drama examining race, identity, and belonging in the United States
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
period character drama about a young person negotiating racial identity and social prejudice
Movie Details
- Director
- Vikram Gandhi
- Release Date
- 2016-09-10
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 5.7 / 10 (208)
Cast
- Devon Terrell
- Anya Taylor-Joy
- Jason Mitchell
- Ellar Coltrane
- Jenna Elfman
- Linus Roache
- Avi Nash
- John Benjamin Hickey
- Ashley Judd
- Sawyer Pierce
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Barry about?
- A young Barack Obama searches for identity, intimacy, and belonging amid the racial tensions of 1980s New York.
- What is Barry like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Barry as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Barry violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Barry.
- What did critics think of Barry?
- Critics generally found the speculative portrait of Obama's formative college years flawed but compelling as an intimate glimpse of American history in the making.
- Which films are like Barry?
- Films with a similar feel include The Butler, Lee Daniels' The Butler, Loving, and The Last Black Man in San Francisco.
- How long is Barry?
- Barry runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Barry?
- In United States, Barry streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
