Stars: Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Dustin Hoffman, Minnie Driver, Rachelle Lefevre
Running time: 133 mins
Rating: ****

PAUL Giamatti won the other Golden Globe best actor award – the one for being in a musical or comedy, as opposed to Colin Firth’s prize in the drama category.

Barney’s Version is not a song-anddance musical or a laugh-a-minute comedy but an epic story of a man’s life, taken from Mordecai Richler’s award-winning novel.

Giamatti is, as you’d expect from past performances, superb as Barney, whose romantic life provides the framework for the story.

Barney’s first wife is free spirit Clara (Rachelle Lefevere), whom he marries in Rome.

When the relationship breaks down, he returns to the US where a Jewish princess (Minnie Driver) is the next woman to accompany him down the aisle. But Barney isn’t one to settle down.

Even at the reception he’s spotted Miriam (Rosamund Pike) and set his sights on her.

Her rejection doesn’t deter him and he continues his pursuit, egged on by his father (Dustin Hoffman, excellent).