Karry
Best movie of this year hands down!
BootDigest
Such a frustrating disappointment
Vashirdfel
Simply A Masterpiece
SnoopyStyle
It's 1976 Calistoga, California. Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman) is desperate to scrap up the money to perfect his chardonnay. His son Bo (Chris Pine) is a lot less patient. Sam Fulton (Rachael Taylor) surprises everybody as the new intern. Gustavo Brambila (Freddy Rodríguez) is the foreman trying to make his own wine, and Bo's best friend. In Paris, sommelier Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) has a failing wine shop. He is challenged by his next door neighbor American Maurice Cantavale (Dennis Farina) to go taste some Californian wine. He goes to find some Californian wines to challenge the french ones in a blind taste test. He has a roadside breakdown and Jim Barrett coincidentally rescues him. He is amazed at Jim's wine and the rest of the area wines.This is a nice charming true story. Alan Rickman has a friendly snotty attitude. He's snobby without being arrogant. I think that's the key. He's actually likable. As for the romantic triangle, I like the hot girl not picking the handsome leading man but then she changes her mind. It's balanced out by an angry Bill Pullman. He provides the little bit of drama in the movie.
tieman64
Randall Miller's "Bottle Shock" is a pretty good comedy about a 1976 competition in which European vineyards were pitted against Californian wine estates. Lightweight, amiable and based on a true story (whose facts it plays loose with), the film stars Bill Pullman as a troubled vintner, Chris Pine as his air-headed son, and Alan Rickman as his customarily morose self.A populist version of "Sideways", "Bottle Shock" pits American egos versus French snobbery. Bizarrely for such a quasi-nationalistic film, it sports a subplot in which a "Mexican" wine maker bashes white Americans for not valuing either land or the art of fermentation. Our heroes, two American underdogs, eventually prove him wrong; they produce wine so pure that it's white rather than red! And our "Mexican"? He's slowly and unceremoniously jettisoned from the film. And the French? They're schooled in the art of real wine-making. USA! USA! USA! "Bottle Shock" stars Eliza Dushku in a small but cute role as a local bar owner. Elsewhere Chris Pine is funny as a Californian beach bum, and the film is awash with grandiose helicopter shots, all of which glide across unending acres of sparkling, Californian plantations. The film was bashed by film critics, but never pretends to be anything other than a middle finger to connoisseurs.7.9/10 – Worth one viewing. See "Mondovino", "Corked" and "This Earth is Mine".
ajs-10
There have been one or two films about wine over the years, but very few about American wine. This independent film, I guess, looks to cash in on the critical success of the very enjoyable Sideways (2004). It is based on true events, but unfortunately it doesn't quite hit the mark, for me at least. But more of that later.This film tells the story of how, in 1976, Californian wines from the Napa valley became internationally acceptable. It all came about because a rather stuck-up wine expert, based in Paris, called Steven Spurrier decided to broaden his horizons and arrange a blind tasting of French and American wines. We then learn about the lives of those making the wine. In particular vineyard owner Jim Barrett and his son Bo, and some of the people they employ, Gustavo Brambila and Sam Fulton. Mr Spurrier goes to the Napa Valley and tastes all of the wines on offer. He makes a list of the best of them and samples are shipped to France for the tasting. And this is where history is made.You would think, from my very short synopsis that the plot would concentrate on the Steven Spurrier character, but no. The vast majority of the film is taken up with the relationships between Jim, Bo, Sam and Gustavo. Although, yes, that part of the story was interesting up to a point, the important events were kind of just thrown in here and there. This made for quite a disjointed film that I found a little difficult to watch. Having said that the cinematography was spot on, some great use of the scenery and the light. Nobody particularly stood out, for me as far as performances go, though Alan Rickman was pretty good as Steven Spurrier. Honourable mentions go to Bill Pullman as Jim Barrett, Chris Pine as Bo Barrett, Rachael Taylor as Sam Fulton and Freddy Rodríguez as Gustavo Brambila.Over all I didn't warm to the characters in this film as much as I though I would and that made it kind of disappointing for me. The cinematography was good but the plot needed to be refined a lot more. It's not a great film, but not a bad one either. I won't be watching it again in a hurry, but if you're not averse to downing a bottle or two and you love the Napa Valley then I guess it's recommended. Otherwise, maybe give it a miss.My score: 6.1/10
kkkathryn1019
This charming comedy tells the true story of the Château Montelena winery in 1976 Calistoga, CA and how it helped American (specifically Californian) wine break into the sophisticated wine market previously dominated by France.The financially struggling winery is run by perfectionist Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman), with assistance from Gustavo (Freddy Rodriguez, "Six Feet Under"), the son of a Mexican field hand who has aspirations of opening his own winery. Also along for the ride is Jim's hippie son, the long-haired, good-natured Bo (Chris Pine of "Star Trek") who has dropped out of college and is stuck in a stagnant existence. When the film opens young intern Sam (Rachael Taylor) has joined the winery to learn all she can about viniculture.Meanwhile, British wine snob Steven Spurrier (a delightful Alan Rickman) has journeyed from his struggling wine shop in Paris to Napa Valley to see what all the fuss is about regarding California wine. Impressed by the quality of vino across the pond, Spurrier arranges the famous blind taste testing wine competition in Paris. Eliza Dushku ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Bring it On"), plays a local barmaid who helps Bo get Château Montelena's wine into the competition."Bottle Shock" is light and funny, with solid performances from the entire cast and a charming, genuinely interesting true story behind it. An enjoyable rental.
