Hey gang, Valkor. You ever had that one friend who was or is beyond inappropriate? That one friend who you try to avoid at all cost because you know if you guys hang around for too long, he’s gonna embarrass you beyond reproach? That’s the subject of this next MediaView comedy – Someone Marry Barry. Now this is more my speed, but my stomach almost didn't make it through this one.
Take four best friends who grew up together – like friends forever. But now they’re all grown up save for one, who hasn’t changed much in his juvenile ways, and you have the start of "Someone Marry Barry". Friends Kurt (Thomas Middleditch), Desmond (Damon Wayans Jr.), and Rafe (Hayes MacAuthur) have had it up to their eyeballs with their crude, rude with too much attitude best friend Barry (Tyler Labine). And the only way they believe thet can get him out of their hair for good is to find him a girlfriend/wife. But how do you find someone for someone so… disgusting and obnoxious? Unfortunately they couldn’t find anyone that could stand five minutes with the guy, but fortunately Barry just happens to meet someone who shares the same “quirks" as him. Meet Melanie (Lucy Punch), whose level of grossness matches Barry’s pound for pound. And the two of them together makes their friends lives a living hell.
But that’s only one piece of the tale. The other half is the problems their friends have when Barry is not around, which makes those problems miniscule when having someone like Barry around. Take Desmond for instance; his home life only works when he’s high, which might also complicate things with his new job. Then there’s Kurt, whose girlfriend is a stuck up bitch and he's beta as fuck about her. Finally there’s Rafe, who spends more time chasing tail than spending it with his kid. They come to realize the weight of their situation when Barry is completely out of their lives, but then they come to realize… they really do need the big guy after all.
And what about Mel? Well things start out great until the two set fire to Kurt’s family cabin that not only tears the long-running friendship apart, but that of his new found love life as well. Can any of this be fixed or will Barry continue living the disturbing and disgusting life he currently leads?
If you’re not watching Deadbeat, a Hulu original series, then you’re missing out on something pretty special, because if you get a kick out of this film, then you’ll love Tyler Labine in that show because he pretty much plays the same character. Also in Someone Marry Barry, look for a visit from Ed Helms (The Hangover series). And was that Vivian Bang from “Boy Toy” with an oh so brief cameo? Yea I’m smitten!
I love her, don't judge me!
The Good:
Sure the humor is crude, but “Someone Marry Barry” is the kind of humor I can get behind. It’s not perfect, but if you’re looking for something quick and entertaining, then this is the one. The one hurdle you’ll have to get over is the crudeness factor – and things can get pretty disgusting. Not so much visually though there are some visual jokes, but the detail in the wording is enough to make you want to hurl. However some of the jokes really hit the spot. And yet through it all you have a pretty decent rom-com within all the gross humor. The pacing is pretty tight and the film flows at a smooth rate, which works for a film with a runtime of 87 minutes (sweet). Now with the acting, I have to say I enjoyed the crude combo of Labine and Punch who play off one another perfectly, matching each other one crude joke after another – and it can get really nasty. Labine pretty much plays his character from the Deadbeat series and I’m OK with that, it’s cool, mellow and with way more crass. I've never seen Punch's work before, but through all the filth I still love her. Not as much as Bang but still, she's pretty cool. The rest of the cast is well-rounded to perfection, with each player fitting their role just right. I have to say, after sitting through the last few comedies, Someone Marry Barry was a nice, disgusting change of pace.
The Bad:
When I say the film is disgusting I wasn’t kidding – things can get really, really gross. Maybe even… too gross? There’s a scene where Barry and Melanie are throwing up and then Mel goes down on Barry. That might’ve been a tad too much, almost cringeworthy. Then there’s the second half of the film, which isn’t as funny as the first half. Actually that’s not really a bad thing considering it brings the grossness factor down a notch - It really is appreciated, but it also brings the film down a notch.
The Ugly:
You know that vomit BJ I mentioned above? Yea it gets grosser than that.
Someone Marry Barry is rude, crude, and full of tasteless humor. But it’s the kind of funny that might not swallow so well, but it settles in just fine. You’ll definitely be in for some laughs if you can handle a potent level of toilet humor. And out of TOV 5 stars, Someone Marry Barry gets a strong 3.
