Barry

Barry follows a young Barack Obama as he moves through a crowded New York City college scene, trying to make sense of who he is while standing at the crossroads of race, family history, and new freedoms. He juggles classes, friendships, and a search for belonging that crosses cultural lines and social circles. The city hums around him as he negotiates differences between his Kenyan and American roots, his mother's pragmatic optimism, and the pressure to shape a future that feels both authentic and ambitious. Through late-night conversations, campus events, and tentative romances, he tests loyalties, questions inherited identities, and begins to map a personal voice that respects his past while projecting his own path forward for a future beyond.

Barry was released in 2016, directed by Vikram Gandhi, with the screenplay by Adam Mansbach. The drama stars Devon Terrell as Barack Obama, with Anya Taylor-Joy as Charlotte Baughman and a supporting cast that includes Ellar Coltrane and Jenna Elfman.

Box Office: The film had a limited release and modest box office figures, with no widely reported worldwide total. Its reach was mostly among streaming audiences and film festival attendees rather than broad exposure, that limited its theatrical footprint significantly.

Awards: Barry did not garner major nominations from the Oscars, Emmys or Golden Globes. It did, however, attract attention on fringe circuits and indie film platforms for its intimate performance by Devon Terrell and for presenting a raw, humanized view of a young Barack Obama, contributing to conversations about identity.

Reception & Themes: Critics generally described the film as an intimate, thoughtful portrait of identity formation under pressure. It foregrounds questions of race, heritage, and belonging while showing the ordinary texture of campus life in a big city, highlighting how early experiences shape a future public figure for many viewers.