Fried Barry is not a film you stumble into unprepared. The visceral film, directed by Ryan Kruger, revolves around aliens who select Barry as their chosen vessel for experiencing life on Earth. This South African cult oddity unfolds as the extraterrestrials inhabit Barry’s body to immerse themselves in the human experience. The film made its debut on Shudder on May 7th, 2021, kicking off with a pulsating synth soundtrack that sets the stage for the extraordinary journey ahead. Barry’s penchant for drugs becomes evident as he indulges in them and embarks on a wild adventure through the city streets, providing an unfiltered view of the drug scene and its colorful characters.
The dialogue swings between Afrikaans and English as Barry goes about his usual stomping grounds. The local pub, his barstool mates’ house, and of course his next fix. We learn with very little effort that Barry was once a drug runner and that Heroin is the easier option to outpace the existence he currently sinks into. Through short and dark flashbacks, we know that this wasn’t always Barry’s life.
“It Came Out Of Me, But It’s Not Mine”
Quote from the Fried Barry movie
Ryan Kruger’s Unhinged Alien Body Horror Is Streaming on Shudder
The aliens are crude and the entry point they choose to invade Barry through is exactly as uncomfortable as you’re imagining. You’ve been warned. Lasers, blood, and red-stained hues mark what may or may not be Barry’s ultimate demise, is he dead or just dead inside? Honestly, don’t overthink it. Just let Fried Barry give you what it came to give, 99 minutes of alternate reality that’ll leave your mind slightly scrambled and your equilibrium questionable. There is sex, drugs, and techno music. Then more sex and drugs. Then the occasional splatter as alien Barry registers his displeasure in the most direct way possible.
Surprisingly, the full-length movie is much less fun than I anticipated, and I’ll be honest, I enjoyed the short film a little more. The monotony of watching Barry wander around what looks like any seedy night strip in the early hours does wear thin, but it’s broken up with a few moments that’ll land differently depending on who’s watching. Seeing a drag queen getting chased by an alien wearing Barry like a borrowed suit? Genuinely funny. I laughed and I’m not even slightly ashamed about it.
Fried Barry is the type of movie that’s hard to figure out where it’s coming from. It’s the main man, Barry, who becomes more likable as the foreign stranger inside him shows more humanity than anything else in the story. It plays out more like a music video which Kruger, its director-writer is known for. The interactions are like short interludes that break up its dance party vibes. Performances are on the average side with the exemption of Gary Green of course. Somehow, he puts forth two separate characters, and both steer the ship in this film.
From Short Film to Feature: Did It Make the Jump?
The runtime could have used a trim and the narrative meanders in places, but as a feature debut Fried Barry announced Ryan Kruger as a filmmaker worth watching. He went on to direct the 2023 remake of Street Trash, praised for its visuals even if the rewrite divided opinion, and has continued to build a distinctive body of work that’s impossible to ignore.
There’s a certain sadness that envelopes Fried Barry underneath all the noise, a film that wants to be less about how drugs destroy people and more about what it means to be human at all. If little green men ever do invade Earth and see it through the eyes of one person, I hope they notice that most of us are doing our best. Even the Barries.
As for Gary Green, after this review went live, he sent Mother of Movies a personal video message. No spoilers on what he said, but it’s the kind of thing that reminds you why covering independent film matters.
The Fried Barry movie is rated
3 you’re the only girl for me out of 5
Fried Barry 2020 Trailer Watch it Here
The Fried Barry Movie is Streaming Free on Shudder
Fried Barry ran at the 24th Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada which runs from August to September summer 2020. Stars Gary Green, Brett Williams, and Joey Cramer. The world cinema film from South Africa screened at Virtual Cannes 2020 on the 24th and 25th of June followed by the Fantasia Film Festival on August 15th. Mother of Movies review for Fried Barry was acquired as part of the press for Fantasia Fest 2020. Repped by Rock Salt Releasing and produced by Enigma Ace Films.
The film is on Shudder from May 7th, 2021 as a Shudder Original film.
366weirdmovies.com has an alternative view of the Fried Barry movie. Check it out here.
Ryan Kreuger starred in The Fix as a guy called Ryan, read about that here. For other movies featuring aliens and extraterrestrial vibes watch Lookout | Skyman Documentary | Adam series of short films | Bugonia and of course the film that started it all, the short film Fried Barry, watch all 4-minutes of it.
