A Good Year

Rating the movie itself. I watched on HBO via the Prime subscription.Rarely do I review movies, and when I do it's rarely because they're bad. This one is bad. Here is my review:Crowe's character is a jerk (nicely put) and wins the "very, very picky" woman over in one date by being continuing to be an @$$ to her. Wow. Rein check on that line of thought. Oh and she's obviously much younger than he is (and 11 years between the actors), but they were similarly aged kids at the same time who kissed cheeks once when they were 8 and still remember it. And then there's the weird 'illegitimate daughter who knows allll about wine' storyline and the creepy friend from London. And what was up with the rancid vs secretively amazing wine? We'll never know. To say the plot was all over the place would be nice. The vigneron was my favorite character - he was the one good bit of the movie. Otherwise this movie was atrocious. How did this get 4.5 stars???

It felt like it took a year to get through this movie and it wasn't a good year.It was a totally disjointed movie that wasn't helped by a few pretty faces and some beautiful scenery. I totally agree with another reviewer that is wondering what the story was with the mysterious good wine. That was the only part of the movie that grabbed my attention and I thought "now we're getting somewhere", only to have it never spoken of again.

This movie is delightful! I know, I know, it isn't exactly "Citizen Kane," but it offers two enjoyable hours of escape from Covid and all the divisiveness in society right now. Great photography, wonderful secondary characters and the transcendent Marion Cottillard - what's not to like? I recommend that you sit back in your easy chair, turn on your flat-screen and your Blu-ray player, and spend some quality time in a magical part of the world.

I've seen this movie a couple of times now, and that's because the very first time there was just something about it that stuck with me. I'm a typical american woman who loves romantic moveis based in Europe, however this one wasn't too heavy on the love. Under the Tuscan Sun in a fave of mine but this one ranks high for differnt reasons. It's not a romantic story so much as a "come back and find your roots" story. Yes Crowe's character becomes a money hungry monster, however as much as he sees the chance to make more money he is surprised at the moments that sneak up on him and remind him of his childhood and his father figure all those years ago. Its a great story of a long lost son of France coming home and tripping on his ego a few times, but ultimately is enveloped in care from the people of his past and he remembers the kind of man he was raised to be.

It is a good romantic comedy. I liked it very much but when I found out that it was based on Peter Mayle's book, A Year in Provence, I was taken aback. There is nothing of the book in the movie, except perhaps the beauty of Provence and the main character's love of wine. The book is funny. Peter Mayle is sort of like an elegant Bill Bryson. Both are masters in the art of laughing at their own foreignness. This movie, to the contrary, is a romantic comedy with beautiful, fundamentally unfunny actors placed in beautiful, fundamentally unfunny situations.If you are in the mood for a light and beautiful romantic comedy, try this one. This interpretation of the age old story of beauty and the beast is a departure for both Crowe and Cotillard.

Excellent film. I had to get it from M+L apparently a BluRay copy doesn’t exist in the world. M+L delivered it weeks before expected date. Packaged well in minty new condition.The beauty of this film should not be diminished by watching in other than the best quality available. People ask why buy when there’s so much streaming available. News flash! Streaming services don’t have all titles. If you wish to watch something what if it’s out of print. This goes for music and books and well. Music, the new one available may be remixed and by the contemporary sensibilities of the engineer not the original artist’s vision. My take? Don’t leave art and literature to the whims of the marketplace.

A wonderful story highly applicable in our workaholic society that reminds us of what's important in life. Russel Crowe, Marion Cotillard, Albert Finney, Didier Bourdon and the rest of the primary cast will make you believe. No special effects, no animation. Just tremendous storytelling as we discover what we've become often leaves behind the joy of life we once knew, but can rediscover. Makes me cry tears of joy everytime.

Dull, predicable and fairly offensive romcom about a mddie aged American Captain of Industry who returns to France after inheriting a vineyard and captures the heart of a woman (Fanny Chenel seriouisly?) who resists him just long enough for him to decide she's his to conquer, and of course he does after one date - even though her heart was famously broken, yadda yadda yadda. Dull, predictable middle aged male escapist fantasy BS.

Been waiting for a UK Blu-Ray version of A Good Year for years.Was browsing Amazon and stumbled across this Spanish release.After checking the info ordered it and just arrived and can confirm :-Region B playbackAudio in English (didn't have to change any settings)And most importantly cracking picture.This movie got pretty slated on release but always thought it was pretty good.Ridley Scott's shots of Provence are beautifully shot.Can relay recommend this Blu-Ray for a night in and has to be watched with a glass of red wine!Note - The film is based on the book, "A Good Year" by Peter Mayle who has Ridley Scott as a neighbour.It was Scott who suggested to Mayle, it would be a good idea to write a novel on an Englishman in a fish out of water comedy scenario.

Russell Crowe is unexpectedly good as a British stock market champion who has lost his soul to the God of money and greed. He inherits a Chateau in Provence, previously owned by an uncle whom he remembers with affection and with whom he holidayed when a boy. Russell Crowe initially intends to sell the Chateau to add to his fortune, but gradually and almost imperceptibly he falls in love with the Chateau, Provence, and the People. A delightful film made even better by the most imaginative choices of music - French, English and American - from his uncle's collection. Just listen to "The Wedding Samba" by Edmundo Ross, or Je Chante by Charles Trenet! Blew me away! The soundtrack album is still available and I would highly recommend it AND the film

……story by Peter Mayle, , British author who has lived in France for decades. Actors, the casting excellent. Humour, viticulture, authentic genuine locations, the values in life, and the music.All just brilliant.This DVD also has Special Features, including the making of.

If you had the option of moving into a chateau that you have inherited in the South of France to run a vineyard that produces some crackingly good wine (and some pretty awful wine too) and surround yourself with beautiful people, wonderful scenery and fantastic weather OR work long hours in 'the City' surrounding yourself with grey cars, grey buildings and grey suited people, which would you choose?I suppose a heavy bonus with your enormous salary would be all that some people would hanker for but this film tells the story of just such a man who is a banker and initially he can't wait to get rid of his French inheritance but through time, events, memories and people help him to think things through more slowly. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with the Notaire, the actress is, I believe, related to Carla Bruni no less. Crowe convincingly letches at her and other women, including a possible cousin played by Abbie Cornish. I have to say I found her character dull and wooden but I am not a fan of her acting in any of her films.Regardless of his dreadful English accent Crowe plays his part with the humour it deserves and his scenes with Duflot are hilarious. Even Duflot's dog acts superbly! Watch the tennis match between Crowe and Duflot and count the insults they throw at each other. Superb.This is a typically sweet film showing France in all its glory which is exactly how Peter Mayle depicts it in his books. The film is just a funny, French v English comedy with some romance thrown in. How could anyone not like it?

Previous DVD overused until it almost died, so that says it all really, Excellent cast, good to see Russell Crowe in a comedy with an All's well that ends well , with a suitable smart one liner. Decent reminder of the versatility of Albert Finney as his uncle . too.