Simple Pleasures Abound in A Good Year.
Written: Aug 13 '08 (Updated Aug 13 '08)
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Product Rating:
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| Bang For The Buck |
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Pros: Interesting characters, great scenery, strong cast.
Cons: Slow paced. Predictable.
The Bottom Line: I would recommend this movie for a rainy afternoon. It is not smashing action but it offers a nice diversion for two hours.
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| coldsteel7's Full Review: A Good Year |
A Good Year was released in 2006. It didn’t make much of a splash. In fact, I don’t remember seeing any advertisements for this movie, which was Directed by Ridley Scott. With Scott Directing, and notable actors like Russell Crowe and Albert Finney, it seems that this movie would have had a stronger release. However, it is obvious from the outset that this movie does not have the mass appeal that other movies might generate. This romantic comedy was filmed in Britain and France, contains a smithering of sub-titles and has a pacing that is slower than what many viewers desire. This movie is predictable but quaint.
Russel Crowe stars as Maximillian Skinner, a young lad raised on a vineyard by his Uncle Henry (Albert Finney). Max Skinner shows early signs of his later genius as a ruthless stock trader with impeccable timing. Skinner loses touch with his pastoral upbringing and early life’s lessons after departing France to pursue his stock trading career in London. Max also loses touch with his Uncle, who represented Max’s only family. After twenty years in London, ten of which Max has not been in contact with Uncle Henry, Max learns that he is the sole heir to his Uncle’s vineyard. Max intends to make short work of disposing of the vineyard to the highest bidder. The quicker the better. Fate intervenes, reconnecting Max to his roots in a predictable but comical (and sometimes touching) series of events.
Although this plot line is predictable, I thought that the writing in this film was impeccable. Plot is certainly an integral part of writing. However, Peter Mayle (who wrote the novel) and Marc Klein (screenplay) manage to weave an interesting story around a simple concept. There are a few minor sub-plots in this film that are important to the story. There is very little in the way of diversion, although this story could probably be told in less than the two hour run time allotted for this film. What I liked most about the writing was the rich dialogue (to include the sub-titles), the interesting cast of characters and most importantly the way that this story connects to all of your senses.
Good writing has a way of making you employ more than just your mental processes. When your senses are engaged by a book or film you become more connected to the story. A Good Year provides this appeal on every level. There are scenes that show Max connecting to his past when he looks at his Uncle Henry’s cigar still sitting in an ashtray on an outdoor table. Max holds the cigar up to his nose visually reminiscing about his youth. Although there are flashbacks interspersed throughout the movie, there is no need for a flashback at this juncture. It is obvious from watching that the smell of Uncle Henry’s cigar has taken him back. The beginning of his process of reconnecting. The soundtrack also helps tell the story, with old records helping to tell the story. In addition to the involvement of the soundtrack within the story, music that was not directly related to the story also drew me in. I was amused at hearing Jimi Hendrix’ Hey Joe done in French. The smells, sounds, textures and tastes of Provence are amply displayed throughout this film, which created a greater enjoyment for me.
In terms of visual appeal, the locations selected for this film were picturesque. When Max arrives home after twenty years away, he finds the estate in disrepair. With intentions of selling the vineyard, Max attempts to spruce things up. This film did an exceptional job of creating the effect that the estate was in disrepair. When we see the vineyard at the end of the film, it is truly a stunning location. It is interesting to watch the transformation. The filming in England was primarily urban. It provides a contrast to the slow country life of Max’s youth. Certainly the same contrast could have been drawn using Paris and the English countryside. Either way, the contrast is meant to contribute to the story. The locations were well selected.
A Good Year is the type of film that you would expect to fail in mass appeal yet win over the critics. It did not. The movie was largely panned by everyone, probably because of it’s predictability and slow pace. A few critics were willing to break from the pack and give moderately good marks to this film. I think what is lost on the critics is the simplicity of this film. The film was somewhat expensive to produce (35 Million Dollars) and just barely brought in enough box office revenue to cover the initial costs. I don’t necessarily see things in terms of dollars and cents or critical acclaim. This movie, on it’s surface, looked like a chick flick. Yet I felt connected to the film because of the dialogue and details. Some of the dialogue relies on other great thinkers to make a point (literary references), but it also contains home-grown dialogue that I enjoyed hearing (or reading). One of the lines in the film was “Forgive my lips...they find joy in the most unusual places.” It is a strange use of words that were fitting for the circumstance (although a bit mature). The sensory appeal and beautiful scenery also provided a strong connection for me.
A Good Year draws on an International cast with varying degrees of familiarity. Russell Crowe lends instant credence to this film, and does not disappoint with his performance. Albert Finney is impeccable in his portrayal of a well read eccentric. The Young Maximilian is portrayed by Freddie Highmore who I recognized immediately from Spiderwick Chronicles. He has also been in a few other projects that are still on my must see list. The rest of the cast are mostly unfamiliar to me but have a decent body of work behind them. Crowe’s love interest Fanny is played by Marion Cotillard. Her character is fairly flat, but she does a good job of adding spice to the role to make it interesting. There seemed to be a genuine chemistry between Crowe and Cotillard. The cast is rounded out by Abbie Cornish, Didier Bourdon (the philosophical farmer), Isabelle Candelier and Tom Hollander. Although many of the characters don’t have time to fully develop, they form an eclectic group of personalities that make for interesting interaction.
The Motion Picture Association rated A Good Year with an over-reaching PG-13. This is an artistic film with very little objectionable material. There is certainly a bit of adult subject matter, but nothing tacky. The sexual themes would probably go over younger viewers heads and are very mild. There are two scenes of partial butt cleavage that fails to really count as nudity in my book. The language is sometimes mature but in context. Overall, I did not see anything objectionable in this film. I would not put an age restriction on this movie at all.
Grading a film like A Good Year presents a challenge. It is a slow moving predictable story. Sometimes the enjoyment of a journey is in the small delights along the way. You know your destination, but it’s “stopping to smell the flowers” that really makes the journey worthwhile. In a literary sense, this movie is a mixed bag. It presents interesting characters, strong dialogue and appeals to your senses. However, the plot lacks depth and the characters are either flat or predictable. So evaluating this film for me becomes even more subjective. I enjoyed the journey through Provence France and all the small delights that came with the telling of this tale. I knew where it was going, but the comic elements and sensory appeals made this movie worth watching. Sure, the comic elements sometimes bordered on slapstick, but there is something genuinely funny about watching Russell Crowe flop about in the silt of an empty pool. This movie is better than three stars for me, but probably a hair or two shy of four stars. Because I have to assign an even number, I will bring it to the closest of the two, giving this film four stars out of a possible five. In art, taste is subjective. If you are in the mood for a movie that will appeal to your senses more than your intellect than this movie will be an easy diversion.
This review is my contribution to Ifif1938's English French Write-Off
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Date Movie
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Pacing
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