Fried Barry, a wickedly stylish film that takes the viewer and an alien imposter on a roller coaster ride through Cape Town, seeing some of the best and most of the worst that a human city has to offer. Fried Barry stars the unforgettable Gary Green as an alien-possessed junkie who mirrors the behaviours and actions he witnesses, getting himself in to all kinds of terrestrial trouble with the locals. 

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The film spends a great deal of its time showing off the undeniable filmmaking skill of director Ryan Kruger and team, as we follow Barry through the neon bathed chaos of the city’s nightlife and into the equally strange, fluorescent day-to-day. While much of the movie is running with ridiculously high energy, it never gets tiresome - you’re often left equal parts giddy and terrified of what horrific or hilarious situation Barry will find himself in next. This is in large part due to the creative editing, cinematography, set design and performances that make every scene distinct and memorable.

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The film wears its many influences on its sleeve, but never fails to feel wholly original, mixing a diverse roster of effects with skilled execution to consistently excite, delight and horrify. While Fried Barry could easily have been great as an impressive series of fast-paced insanity and macabre humour, it often reaches for a bit more, giving the proceedings just enough humanity to escape being just an exercise in style and execution. If you’re in Canada, you can watch Fried Barry on demand through Fantasia Film Festival until September 2nd. It’s worth seeing for its confident craftsmanship and beguiling tone alone, but rest assured, there’s more to it than that. If you’ve got a strong stomach, we strongly recommend you check this one out.