“Barber” is a 2023 film that takes place in Dublin, Ireland.
Val Barber gets a request to help a woman find her granddaughter, Sarah, who
went missing. The film takes place during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is made
evident by the wearing of masks.
Barber’s daughter, Kate, got a brain injury from an
accident, but it was never made clear what had happened. It was mentioned that
her boyfriend was somehow involved, and Barber blames him for what happened.
Barber is a bisexual man. While this does not define his character,
he does struggle to be open about it with those he loves. The movie mentions
that things are different in Ireland now than when he was growing up. Ireland
was the first country to legalize gay marriage.
While the movie was interesting and kept me engaged, I did
not feel the need to figure out clues and try to figure out what happened to
Sarah for myself. In some cases, this is fine because viewers should not always
have to do the work, but I went into the movie wanting to be more engaged and
try to figure it out.
Despite the movie’s overall darkness, the overall message of
the movie is positive, and the ending resolves nicely. The truth won out in the
end, and the characters learned that telling the truth helps not only them but also
those around them.
The happy ending was nice, but in reality, it most likely
would not have ended so neatly and positively. While this may frustrate some,
the nature of the movie and the topics surrounding the missing person make the
happy endings a great thing. Anyone who has struggled with some of the heavy topics
mentioned may be upset that their story did not end in such a good way, but
they may also be glad to see someone’s story work out well. If anything, it may
give those who have been in similar situations the courage to come forward and
speak up.
Content warning: there is mention of sexual assault on
several occasions, including of a minor. There is also some physical violence
shown, specifically someone held by the throat and punched. Sex is implied, but
no nudity is shown. There are curse words used throughout the film. Barber is
trying to quit his nicotine habit.
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