Improbably redeeming the overall mirthlessness is Emma Thompson, briskly profane as Barney’s elderly, foul-mouthed ma – hard as drywall nails, with skin the leathery texture of sun-dried tomatoes. Barney Thomson movie reviews & Metacritic score: Barney Thomson (Robert Carlyle), awkward, diffident, Glasgow barber, lives a life of desperate mediocrity. Barney Thomson (The Legend of Barney Thomson) Critics Consensus. W hat’s missing from the title of The Legend of Barney Thomson is the word "urban". Making vivid use of its Glasgow location and culture, The Legend of Barney Thomson has many dark comedy moments that work, and Carlyle shows some strong directorial chops. Barney Thomson (Robert Carlyle), awkward, diffident, Glasgow, Scotland barber, lives a life of desperate mediocrity and his uninteresting life is about to go from 0 to 60 in five seconds, as he enters the grotesque and comically absurd world of the serial killer. The Legend of Barney Thomson review – falling flat on its farce 2 out of 5 stars.