Penn Alum in Film: "Someone Marry Barry"

Everyone has a Barry in his life – that ruthlessly crude friend who lacks any semblance of a filter.

Three Penn graduates recently came together to bring Barry and his lady equivalent to the big screen in a comedic account of love, friendship and inappropriateness.

“Someone Marry Barry,” an indie romantic comedy written and directed by 1995 College graduate Robert Pearlstein, was released in select theaters today. Jeremy Bailer, a 1998 College graduate, and Marc Simon, a 1996 College graduate, served as executive producers for the film.

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The film, which stars Tyler Labine, Lucy Punch and Damon Wayans Jr., who plays Coach on “New Girl”, is about a group of friends who scheme to drive away their socially inappropriate friend, Barry, by finding him a wife. To their dismay, the woman Barry finally chooses turns out to be just as much of a social wrecking ball as he is.

“It’s a love story between two people who usually get second billing,” Pearlstein said. “The funniest, most outrageous characters are usually just the sidekicks, but we brought them front and center.”

The film is a manifestation of Penn networking power. Pearlstein and Simon became friends through Sigma Alpha Mu. After Pearlstein wrote “Someone Marry Barry”, Simon reached out to Bailer and encouraged him to read the script, and the triumvirate was formed. While Pearlstein managed the creative aspects of the film, Simon, an entertainment attorney, handled the legal affairs. Bailer, who works on Wall Street by day and runs a film production and financing firm on the side, helped to fund the film.

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“We’ve been talking about Rob making a movie for years. My favorite part of being involved was helping to make that become a reality,” Simon said.

Like most independent films, “Someone Marry Barry“was made on a low budget. During the 21 days of on-site filming in Los Angeles, the crew relied largely on donated locations, including a bar that belonged to one of the actors’ friends.

“We had to shoot crazy hours at the bar, sometimes 2 AM to 4 PM, but it was a fantastic location and we couldn’t afford anything else,” Pearlstein said.

He also described filming a scene in an on-duty taxi cab. “We were lying on the taxi floor at the actors’ feet. It was extremely uncomfortable, but the scene turned out great,” Pearlstein said.

Pearlstein recalls filming as being fun and cohesive with laughter permeating the set on a daily basis. Both Bailer and Simon made cameo appearances in the movie during a speed-dating scene and a bar scene. Simon joked that he requested a speaking part in Pearlstein’s next movie.

“We were all very friendly and open with projects. We all got along. It doesn’t always work that way in film production,” Bailer said.

Bailer has contacted the Social Planning and Events Committee about a potential screening of “Someone Marry Barry“at Penn. The film will also be playing in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, and it will be available through Video On Demand and iTunes beginning February 14.

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