Movie Review: A Good Year

What’s common among A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator, Cinderella Man, and The Insider?
Russell Crowe, I bet you said that in a trice.
So when I heard that this Oscar winner had come in a new flick, I was bound to watch it.
However, A Good Year, was somewhat a damp squib, accustomed as I am to Russell Crowe’s superlative acting.
The movie, based on a book by the same name by Peter Mayle, does have its moments though, to be fair. Crowe does a neat job as the sassy investment broker, Max Skinner, who dons flannel pyjamas instead of his usual Saville Row suits, and goes gallivanting around France—a far cry from London, where his career lies, along with best friend, Charlie (played by Tom Hollander: Pirates of the Caribbean, Pride and Prejudice), and the sharp as nails Indo-Brit assistant, Gemma, played by Archie Panjabi(remember Jess’s sister in Bend It Like Beckham?)
Max receives word that his Uncle Henry, played delightfully by Albert Finney(Erin Brockovich, Ocean’s Twelve), is dead, and has left him his chateau as also his prized vineyard.
The cool-as-a-cucumber Max sets out for France, to sell the chateu and vineyard to the highest bidder. But what is intended to be a weekend retreat turns awry. As they say, where there is a will, there are relatives, and a Californian girl turns up at the château, claiming to be Henry’s daughter.
Max remains unruffled though; but yes, he, a man who didn’t believe in taking vacations and weekends off work, finds himself into the intoxicating grapes, stress-free environment, also finding his childhood love in the form of the now stunning Marion Cotillard.
There are also several snapshots with young Max (played by Freddie Highmore: Charlie and The Chocolate Factory) shares screen space with his uncle—Max remembers all the incidents, touched by pangs of regret that he did not have time for the uncle who taught him some of the most important lessons of his life, including the line that he often used in his own office, back in London, “winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.”
Find out what happens next in this light, airy romance, which engages you with its stunning countryside stills, musical French words, and a lot of info about the famous wines that land up in that exclusive restaurant’s wine cellar.
Added suggestion—buy a lot of popcorn during the movie. You’ll need it. It’s slightly slow at places.