'Fried Barry' follows Barry, a heroin addict, and his antics following his latest hit and being abducted by aliens. As an alien assumes control of his body and goes on to explore Cape Town, the film follows the extraterrestrial as he discovers the highlights of what the human experience can be. Barry's journey takes him from a drug-addled rave to hooking up with a stranger, and then a prostitute to eventually finding his way to human Barry's home, where his wife Suz and son are waiting for him.
The film also follows alien Barry as he explores other human experiences - shopping, eating and using drugs and experiencing the high. Eventually Barry finds himself kidnapped by a sinister figure, called Daddy, who has abducted and trapped him and numerous children and exhibits alarming tendencies and threatening behaviour. When Barry gets the chance, he helps the trapped children escape and kills Daddy.
As police see the blood-soaked Barry emerge from the abandoned warehouse with the group of children, he is taken into custody. As Barry does not speak, he is taken to a mental institution. There he meets Ronald, an inmate who helps him escape. Soon after Barry can be seen deteriorating, and is taken to a hospital by the prostitute that he hooked up with and bore him a son instantly after their liaison. Suz soon finds Barry and after he seemingly expires, he reawakens to be taken to a point outside of the city by both of the women. There he is beamed up to his ship and the women walk off as they discuss grabbing a beer. Just before the screen cuts to black, Barry can be heard being dropped to the pavement, seemingly back to his old self.
'Fried Barry' is an exciting and twist-filled ride, showcasing the worst of humanity through the lens of a stranger in a strange land. On meeting Barry we get to see there is not much to him - he is a drug addict that does not spend time with or care for his family and is only looking out to get his next hit. After being abducted by aliens, Barry becomes a blank slate. He wanders around with a deer in the headlights look and moves from one crazy experience to another. Barry's first memorable event happens at a rave where he goes overboard with consuming party drugs and proceeds to rave. His interactions with the individuals around him prove to be mostly peaceful as he does not speak and is perceived to be an excellent listener.
The film presents various gruesome scenes, as Barry gets into various scrapes with different people, and the movie does not shy away from presenting the gory repercussions of the aliens actions. First and perhaps most brutally, the extent to which the movie dares to go to is presented in the scene where alien Barry sleeps with a prostitute who proceeds to create a child before our very eyes and gives birth almost immediately after the two have sex. The unapologetically grisly scene sets the tone for the remainder of the film, informing us to expect the unexpected and brace ourselves for what the alien may encounter next. 'Fried Barry' further pushes towards ruthless brutality as his encounter with Daddy involves both the pulling of teeth with pliers and an execution with a chainsaw. The scenes can cause one to recoil, but surprisingly the film manages to off-set the savagery with perfectly timed comedic breaks that ease the tension and allow the viewer to move on to Barry's next escapade feeling excited and amused.
The film is anchored by Gary Green who plays Barry. Green initially has the opportunity to show us human Barry - a good-for-nothing junkie that has little sympathy for his family or anyone else. As soon as Barry is occupied by the alien, Green presents a complete shift in character, emotionally and physically. Green's performance is so captivating and convincing that there is not a single moment of doubt during his performance that could allow the viewer to question if Barry is not actually possessed by an alien. Green delivers a stellar performance and allows the film to succeed in delivering a fish-out-of-water story the likes of which is both unique and unforgettable.
The film is written and directed by Ryan Kruger in his feature directorial debut, delivering a unique story with a distinctive visual style and a fast-paced and thrilling approach to the story. Kruger has successfully established a simple premise with minimal dialogue and has created a very full and well-rounded story. By choosing to follow Barry as he makes his way though the seedy underbelly of Cape Town, Kruger has fashioned a fun story without over-complicating the storyline and managing to show an enjoyable and at times seemingly fever-dream like story.
'Fried Barry' is a twisted and wild ride that promises to illustrate the highs and lows of interacting with what is objectively not the best side of humanity. The story manages to be gripping from start to finish, delivers many shocking and uncomfortable scenes and manages to remain in high spirit throughout its runtime. 'Fried Barry' largely functions as a wild drug-driven experience, throwing numerous unexpected twist and turns at the viewer, seemingly without break from start to finish, inviting the audience to hang on for dear life and enjoy the ride.
Score: 4/4
Comments