Remy (Rémy Girard), a boozing, womanizing former teacher is dying of cancer in a Montreal hospital. His son, Sébastien (Stéphane Rousseau), is flying in from London to be with him. His ex-wife, and one of his two daughters, are also there to confort him during his final days. So are half of the women he cheated on his wife with.
As his friends and family come to vistit, the man that was once despised like street scum finds out that the people he thought hated him really don't hate him, and that those same people really would care to be with him during his final days.
The Barbarian Invasions is a movie about life; a celebration if you will. As Remy's friends and family gather to remember who he was, they also try to help him out as best they can, all the while remembering the good times they shared.
The film is a portrayal of a single life that changed many other people's lives. Remy certainly excelled in his lifestyle, as the lustiest of his group of friends, but every new woman meant leaving another behind. Now, at the end of his life, he seems to have left almost everyone behind. No one would want to see a movie about a man dying a painfull death with no one there to be with him. The Barbarian Invasions give us a dying man who is despised but loved enough to be given a fitting sendoff.
This film, The Barbarian Invasions, will no doubt set off an endless barrage of arguments on weather euthanasia is acceptable or not. Euathanasia alone is not the focus of the movie, and nor should it be. Undeniably, it is a big part of the movie, granted, but story of The Barbarian Invasions is more about acceptance than anything else. This isn't the proper place for that argument.
Plot: 
The film is about a dying man who has a variety of different visitors pay him their respects, to cheer up said dying man. As said above, no one would want to see a movie about a cancer ridden man dying alone. It just wouldn't work.
Visual Effects:
There aren't any special effects to speak of, and the cinematography is average. Nothing really jumps out at you.
Sound: 
There is one song at the end of the film (sung in French) which sounds ok; there are no English subtitles to the song. The score of the film is good as well; good, but not great.
Character Development:
At the beginning of the film, we see Sébastien; young rich Sébastien who who dislikes his father very much. Yet he comes to visit him during his last days. Sébastien reaches out to help his father, even though he hates him.
We also have the womanizing boozer Remy. He has had a good life but has made many ememies in the process, and he hates his son's choice of job and lifestyle (he's not gay though).
There is a very poiniant moment in the film where Remy and Sébastien have a heart to heart. There is a change in both people as they grow to accept each other... Sébastien learns to forgive and forget, and Remy accepts Sébastien for who he is. At this point, they both seem to accept each other. It's like a lightbulb going off; like they both instantly figured out a tough equation. They've made their peace with each other, and that's what they set out to do.
Atmosphere:
Les Invasions barbares is a French Language film that starts off slow but picks up quickly. It deals with death in a way we don't often see; it tends to be a hard film to watch even though it has a (somewhat) unsettling ending.
Realism:
Warren’s Rating:
7.86/10 Is the movie worth your time to watch?
10-01-05
