GRIMMFEST 2020: Fried Barry
grimmfestDirector, Ryan Kruger's feature film Fried Barry is the embodiment of chaos in the best sense of the word. From start to finish, this South African sci-fi/horror goes above and beyond to be a genuinely batshit experience.
From its first second until its bewildering last, Fried Barry touches on everything and anything concerning violence and genre tropes. In fact, for its tight running time, it is shocking to behold how much Kruger's film manages to fit in overall. Multiple set pieces, numerous characters and eccentric plotlines ultimately fill the void, but nevertheless, all are undoubtedly engaging and immersive.
The science-fiction element is more-or-less a backburner to the events, but when showcased on screen, Kruger and co in cinematographer, Gareth Place and editor, Stephen Du Plessis, are clearly having a mass amount of fun and entertainment proclaiming such a bizarre and ridiculous plot. However, take the passion and absurdity of the science fiction layer and intensify it by a thousand percent regarding the horror.
Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre would blush with the sheer level of violence involved here. Granted, it is gratuitous and yes, it is over the top to the point of contention, but not at one point does said trope feel out of place or excessive. Bizarrely, Kruger's film, on occasion, could easily overindulge but has restraint contextually and unbelievably works.
That being said, there is so much regarding plot and set pieces involved within Fried Barry that the shock value begins to slowly, but not quite overall, drop by the end of the running time. Granted, it is excessive and will undoubtedly turn many away, but throughout, the sheer amazement of repeatable shocks does begin to wane.
Regardless of the excessiveness and plot, there is one key element involved within Fried Barry which, without, would make the film an absolute disaster. This is, of course, the central performance of Gary Green as the titular character. Green is nothing short of astounding here. A stunt man by trade, the contortion and physicality that Green brings to this performance is stunning and adds a unique flair to proceedings. While it isn't a vocally conscious presence, the physicality speaks for itself with emotive reassurance.
Ryan Kruger's film Fried Barry is a lot to take in. Horrifying, gory and offensive at one stage or another, and on occasion at the same time, it offers a tough watch. However, those who manage to stick this out will be left both impressed and immersed in the bizarre nature of it all.
