I was not sure what to expect going into Fried Barry, which is the feature debut of South African writer/director, Ryan Kruger, that is soon to hit the horror streaming service, Shudder. One thing that is made absolutely clear from the get-go is that Kruger knows how make a very interesting first impression. The film starts off with a cheeky warning regarding the film’s adult content, followed by the opening credits, which introduces “A Ryan Kruger Thing,” which…yeah, that is both an amusing touch that I’m surprised I haven’t seen used before, and also totally appropriate considering the wild journey that the film soon takes you on.
The titular Barry (Gary Green) is an unabashed degenerate who runs with a rough crowd, belittles his wife, and does hard drugs. A total bastard through and through. One night after a bender with a drinking buddy, wouldn’t ya know it, he gets abducted by aliens and probed in all sorts of ways (though not necessarily undeserved, al things considered) in a very striking and flashy and disturbing sequence. He is returned to Earth, but he is no longer himself. His body is being used by these aliens, seemingly to observe life on Earth, leading to an absolutely wild, debaucherous journey.
However, Barry doesn’t only see and experience the bad. There are moments where he sees the good in people, and even actively helps. He save a man from a heart attack, he gives his boy some much needed attention, and after observing a loving couple, he repeats some of those lines to his wife, and ends up making love to her for, I’m assuming, the first time in a while. Like many sci-fi films, especially ones regarding extraterrestrials, Fried Barry is an exploration of the human experience. One that just so happens to be filtered through a rather juvenile and hyperstylized lens, but those ideas still shine through. Imagine Under The Skin if it were directed by Harmony Korine (with a sprinkle of Oliver Stone here and there), and that would give you a mere hint at what this feels like.
Kruger shows an astonishing command behind the extreme stylization. It never comes across as unwieldy or random. The work he does with cinematographer, Gareth Place, and editor, Stephen Du Plessis, is fully committed to creating a frenetic assault of imagery for maximum impact, utilizing all sorts of intense color grading, distorted shots, fast cuts, as well as the booming synth heavy score from composer and sound designer, Haezer, some of which honestly wouldn’t feel out of place in something like Blade Runner 2049. The craft is quite impressive, not because of its relentlessness, but because of its ability to surprise you in every zig and zag that it takes.
While the film is certainly packed with colorful characters, the one who comes out of it with making the biggest impression, along with carrying the whole thing on his shoulders is Barry himself. Shockingly, Gary Green hasn’t had a major role prior to this, as most of his credits on IMDb seem to consist of nameless characters like “Drunk Man,” “Drug Addict,” and “Crazy Patient.” He has a striking look, the kind of face that Sergio Leone would do wonders with on a close-up in one of his spaghetti westerns. Though he doesn’t talk much, he has a strong command on creating an off-beat physicality, one that feels rooted in the traditions of silent cinema.
Obviously, Fried Barry will not appeal to everybody. It’s loud, profane, proudly vulgar, and exhaustingly irreverent. However, if you’re a sicko like me, you’ll probably have a really good time with this. While there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot to this beyond stylish provocations, there’s arguably some notes about how societal institutions typically make life harder for the impoverished as opposed to helping as intended, but it’s gets drowned out by the propulsive pacing and barrage of gross imagery. That’s all fine to me because the way it all comes together is genuinely impressive and really fun. It’s like a roller coaster ride, but for genre fans, one that indulges in all the nastiness that roller coaster movies tend to avoid so they can appeal to everyone. Fried Barry is unapologetic in its indulgences, and it’s all the better for it. It’s definitely one I won’t be forgetting about anytime soon.
Fried Barry will be available to stream on Shudder starting May 7th.