Barry Lyndon | Rotten Tomatoes

Barry Lyndon

PG

Now Playing

3 hr. 4 min.

Drama

List

87%

84 Reviews

Tomatometer

92%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

How does an Irish lad without prospects become part of 18th-century English nobility? For Barry Lyndon (Ryan O'Neal) the answer is: any way he can! His climb to wealth and privilege is the enthralling focus of this sumptuous Stanley Kubrick version of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel.

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Critics Consensus

Cynical, ironic, and suffused with seductive natural lighting, Barry Lyndon is a complex character piece of a hapless man doomed by Georgian society.

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David M

Greatest film ever made.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/08/24

Full Review

dimitrios o

You not only must see Barry Lyndon on the big screen---you MUST see Barry Lyndon (and on the big screen). If you want to see one of the great films, and great cinematic achievements, then take the time and do so. Kubrick's mastery is to develop the film over the 3 hours from a picaresque travelogue in the rough and ready outdoorsy life of the 18th C common people--then into the close, luxurious confines of an aristocratic family, but nonetheless one in which the seeming aridity and formality slowly moves into vast human depths. You have to stroll through the first half before being plunged into the second. Anyway--one of the greatest of film experiences (on the big screen, of course).

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/01/24

Full Review

Connor S

Simultaneously gloomy and beautiful, tragic beyond belief and hopeful with a light at the end of the tunnel, classic Kubrick.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/27/24

Full Review

Michael V

At long last Redmond Barry became a gentleman—and that was his tragedy. Barry Lyndon is a 1975 epic historical drama film written, directed, and produced by Stanley Kubrick 🎭 It's ok, but I feel mixed about this one 😉 I'd recommend it if you like this genre, but if not then probably give it a miss 👍🏼👎🏼 This saga is not perfect, but there are moments of brilliance and the story in enticing… An Irish rogue uses his cunning and wit to work his way up the social classes of 18th century England, transforming himself from the humble Redmond Barry into the noble Barry Lyndon.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/13/24

Full Review

Hao Ian L

A slow burn that unravels like a luxurious tapestry, where the strength of the film lies in its sardonic wits and subtle critique of social ambition. Being the perfectionist that is Kubrick, uses natural lighting techniques to create beautiful visuals capturing the opulence of European aristocracy alongside the harsh realities of war, with the costume designs that just screams elegance. Barry Lyndon albeit slow at times, doesn't discount it from being an exceptionally well-made film, and one of Kubrick's more elegant works.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/12/24

Full Review

Jeff M

I don't use the m-word very often, but this is a masterpiece - a remarkable achievement on multiple levels that deserves mention among the best films of its decade. It's been a long time since I've been so excited about a movie - let alone a nearly 50 year old, three hour plus costume drama. But every part of my being wants to grab a thesaurus to come up with new and interesting adjectives to describe this motion picture. Before I start the hosannas, let me broach the subject of Ryan O'Neal. I began the movie feeling like he was terribly miscast; however, as time went on, I think he was an ideal choice for the role. Frankly, O'Neal is a stunningly handsome but rather vapid actor who doesn't convey much intelligence or dimension. And this actually turns out to be perfect for the titular character. It's rather fascinating - he is someone who would normally elicit feelings of contempt and loathsomeness, but I didn't feel negativity toward him at all, despite his obvious superficiality. The production values are sumptuous, from the cinematography to the art direction to the music and costumes - these are monumental achievements that still seem ravishing. But most importantly, this is one of the great examples I've seen recently of good old-fashioned story telling. This has got to be one of the great book to screen adaptations ever. I usually hate narration in a movie, but Michael Hordern's achievement here is unforgettable and imperative to the movie's success. I normally run away screaming from any movie over the 180 minute mark, but time flew by here and I never looked at the clock once. Every few years, I re-evaluate my list of favorite movies - this may cause me to make a change or two.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

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Stanley Kubrick

Director

Ryan O'Neal

Barry Lyndon

Marisa Berenson

Lady Lyndon

Patrick Magee

Chevalier de Baliban

Hardy Krüger

Capt. Potzdorf

Steven Berkoff

Lord Ludd

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Ameena

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Chicago & Friends in Concert

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Abigail

TRAILER

for Abigail

81%

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The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

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for The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

100%

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Spy x Family Code: White

TRAILER

for Spy x Family Code: White

90%

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Egoist

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Pauline Kael

New Yorker

Barry Lyndon indicates that Kubrick is thinking through his camera, and that's not really how good movies get made.

Oct 24, 2023

Full Review

Adam Nayman

The Ringer

The sense of torpor simultaneously helps to call attention to the painterly beauty of the images-widescreen compositions evoking the light and coloring of 18th century paintings-and the grim, fatalistic determinism of the narrative...

Mar 27, 2020

Full Review

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

Barry Lyndon is, despite its rigorous construction, also among Kubrick's more emotionally engaged films.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 20, 2019

Full Review

Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

It's not laugh-out-loud funny, but there's a dry wit at play that adds a kind of comedy of manners element to the epic drama about a man at once casually unassuming but unwaveringly ambitious.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 11, 2023

Full Review

Christopher Connor

The Film Magazine

Make no mistake, Barry Lyndon is one of Stanley Kubrick’s finest films, its status as a less celebrated offering perhaps coming as the result of its position of release being between the vastly more popular A Clockwork Orange and The Shining.

Aug 8, 2023

Full Review

Steve Warren

The Barb (Atlanta)

It may be the most beautifully photographed movie in history, but that's all it is.

May 9, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

How does an Irish lad without prospects become part of 18th-century English nobility? For Barry Lyndon (Ryan O'Neal) the answer is: any way he can! His climb to wealth and privilege is the enthralling focus of this sumptuous Stanley Kubrick version of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel.

Director: Stanley Kubrick
Executive Producer: Jan Harlan
Screenwriter: Stanley Kubrick, William Makepeace Thackeray
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Hawk Films, Peregrine
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 18, 1975, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 31, 2007
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.66:1)

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