Mickey Starling
reporter3@greenepublishing.com
Pureflix is a great source for Christian movies, and offers an impressive array of choices. However, some of those choices are better than others, and “Mayberry Man” is one I would choose to nip in the bud.
I was drawn to this movie because of the “Andy Griffith Show” theme and the fact that Don Knotts’ daughter, Karen, appears in the film. I discovered later that Andy Griffith’s daughter, Dixie, was one of the executive producers. The movie was released in 2021, and funds are being raised to hopefully begin a series based on the movie.
“Mayberry Man” tells the tale of a brash young actor, named Chris Stone (Brett Varvel), with a bad attitude. He gets in some minor trouble with the law and is sentenced to spend a week at a Mayberry festival in North Carolina.
While there, he encounters a wholesome bunch of folks attending and participating in the festival. Mainly, Stone interacts with the Floyd the Barber and Barney Fife imitators. Allan Newsome portrays Floyd, and he has the voice and mannerisms of the original Floyd (Howard McNear) down reasonably well. Like Donn Knotts, who originally portrayed Barney Fife, McNear was a comic genius with impeccable timing. Trying to match either of them in talent is a waste of time.
The Barney impersonator is played by Rik Roberts, who does fairly well mimicking the voice of Knotts, but that’s where the comparison ends on a positive note. Roberts tries too hard to replicate the facial expressions that Knotts produced on a regular basis. It took Knotts untold hours of practice to perfect his role, and Roberts needs more practice. His expressions mostly resembled a kid getting an ice tray stuck to his tongue rather than Barney Fife’s. The poor guy distorted his face repeatedly and never succeeded in resembling Fife’s facial theatrics.
Even worse, Roberts and Newsome stay in Mayberry mode when their roles have them away from the festival, which is just weird. Not much better can be said about the acting in this movie, which attempts an emphasis on learning what’s important in life, especially one’s family and friends.
While there are a few chuckle-worthy moments in this flick, it mostly feels as if it will never end. I’ve enjoyed dragging my fingernails across a chalkboard more than I did “Mayberry Man.” The film does have something in common with Barney Fife’s gun: it has no bullets, just plenty of bad acting and a weakly-pursued plot that leaves you longing for less. I suggest you check out an “Andy Griffith Show” rerun instead. That’s always time well spent.