It was a festive evening in the heart of Los Angeles Thursday evening at the Linwood Dunn Theater, where more than 250 guests attended a private gala screening of Barney's Version, based upon Mordecai Richler's 1997 novel.
The film, starring Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Dustin Hoffman and Minnie Driver, opened in L.A. and New York on Friday in order to qualify for Oscar contention.
After the stirring film was screened, the audience and a number of the cast members gathered in the main lobby for an open-bar cocktail reception and, apropos of the occasion, Montreal smoked meat and cheese and fruit plates, and an array of desserts.
Actress Rosamund Pike, who plays Miriam, Barney's third wife in the film and the love of his life, said she was surprised she landed the role. " I thought they would cast someone in their 40s," she says. "I was 29 when I auditioned for it. I think they thought I might play Clara, the first wife, and then the director, Richard Lewis, came to see me in a play in London and he said he thought, 'Maybe this girl is Miriam.'"
While shooting on location, the British actress fell in love with Montreal. "I'm looking for the next film I can do in Montreal," she says. "I adore Montreal, the restaurants, the culture and the club scene. The fact that we could finish shooting at 1 a.m. and I could go to Stereo from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., have a decent sleep and then be up for my 1 p.m. call the next day was fantastic."
Though Giamatti had not read the Richler novel closely before he shot the film, preferring to focus upon the script instead, he was passionate about playing Barney.
"I like everything about the guy, even recognizing what a jerk he can be," he says. "I enjoyed the aging thing, which is a gift to do as an actor. I have three beautiful wives and a one-night stand with a fine-looking lady and I got to smoke, drink, swear and punch people. It was really fun. I got to do everything in this movie."
According to the film's director, Toronto-born director Lewis, Giamatti was the only possible choice. "Paul is perfect," he says. "It would be hard to find someone other than Paul to play this part. All the actors in his age group are full-on comedians or they don't have the emotional girth he has."
Originally, Lewis had written a script for the film, but he says that it was Montreal-born screenwriter Michael Konyves who got it right with his witty, smart and touching screenplay. Konyves was thankful to have even been given the opportunity in the first place. "I wasn't asked to do this job," he says candidly. "I actively sought it out. I was not on anyone's radar. I know someone who knew [producer]Robert [Lantos]and I was like, 'Can you please get me in to meet with him for five minutes?'"
Barney's Version opens wide in Canada on Dec. 24.
Special to The Globe and Mail