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Barry (2018)

2018 · Action,Comedy,Crime · mob-organized-crime, contemporary-realistic

Barry poster

Barry is an HBO dark comedy-drama (2018–2023) starring Bill Hader as a depressed, PTSD-afflicted hitman who stumbles into an LA acting class and desperately tries to reinvent himself while the criminal world refuses to let him go. The show is defined by tonal whiplash — laugh-out-loud absurdist humor (anchored by Anthony Carrigan's beloved Noho Hank) crashing hard into genuine moral dread and violence. Reviewers consistently place it alongside The Sopranos and Breaking Bad for morally complex anti-hero storytelling, while praising its ensemble as uniformly excellent. It rewards viewers who enjoy shows that refuse to be categorized — neither pure comedy nor pure crime drama, but something stranger and more emotionally demanding than either.

From the reviewers

The writing is caustic and funny, always delivered with both heartfelt sincerity and a darkly funny edge
The violence is frequently punchy and always well done, sometimes quite shocking in it's unexpectedness.
Like Breaking Bad and The Sopranos, Barry portrays a conflicted character with depth and surprising beauty.
The shifts from comedy to drama are so intense! I love how the mob guys are written, especially noho hank and the humour that character brings.
Perhaps the most extraordinary character, the bald Noho ("Can I get you a submarine sandwich?"), is unforgettable. Just a brilliant performance.

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