A Good Year (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
Taking a step back from his high-octane action flicks (Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Tristan & Isolde), Ridley Scott resorts to a lighter film (like his Matchstick Men). We know he can achieve brilliance in moviemaking, but this particular film, 'A Good Year', falls a tad short. Maximillian Skinner (Russell Crowe) is a cold, seemingly heartless investment broker from London. With the aid of his assistants and co-workers Gemma & Charlie (Archie Panjabi, Tom Hollander), Max is able to make massive amounts of $$ in a ruthless manner. One day, Max's life is turned upside down. He's suspended from his job for market tampering; & learns that his quirky old Uncle Henry (Albert Finney) has died and left his French chateau to him. Max has fond memories of childhood visits to Henry & travels to the villa to see about selling the ol' place. His correspondence with Henry had been sparce and so he thought he wouldn't have any problem casting his memories aside; he is quickly surprised by the sentimentality that the villa offers at this point in his life.
Max cleans the place up & begins his heartwarming journey down memory lane in a series of meaningful flashbacks. These flashbacks include a young Max (an impressive Freddie Highmore) playing chess and tennis with his Uncle. They chat over wine about the many values of life. Max also enjoys catching up with land caretakers, Francis & Ludivine. Things come to a halt when Christie (Abbie Cornish) shows up claiming that she is the illegitimate daughter of Henry (wanting to learn all about him). Is she so innocent? Does she want the chateau? Does Max even care about wanting to sell the chateau anymore? And how will local vamp, Fanny Chenal (a sexy Marion Cotillard) figure in to the situation at hand? Will her presence and je ne sais qua keep Max grounded on French soil? Is there love there? All of these questions are answered quite predictably, & with a slight air of charm.
Essentially, this is the simple story of a man who leaves one unfulfilling life behind him & start anew at the place where the 'grandest' moments of his life were born. There is nothing to dislike here, yet there's nothing to get all hyped up about, either. I hardly think I will look for this film down the road to rent, buy, or catch on television. And not to sound like a broken record (among other critic peers), but this really is a larger scale Under the Tuscan Sun. It's sweet (unlike the wine that is produced on Max's land), it's nostalgic, its beautifully filmed. As usual, Ridley Scott has supervised some brilliant cinematography. Each scene drizzles with greens, yellows, sepias, & maroons ... which highlight the sun, trees, sky, grass, soil, wine, etc.
And I also enjoyed the French actors & the French dialogue that is interwoven through the film; I like the authenticity of it. Russell Crowe is a wonder. Never am I disappointed in his performance. Whether he's a gladiator, a captain, a boxer, or a stock broker, he nails it each time. He encompasses cockiness, arrogance, coldness, just as well as warmth, charisma, charm, & acceptance. Albert Finney is great as 'the sage', as always. And the French actors convey realism, joy, and effervescence on screen. 'A Good Year' is light, airy, harmless, romantic (although that subplot is a bit contrived), lovely and low-key. But it is also predictable; and lacks spark or an ability to have any resonance years from now. It will be a blip on the cinematic radar.
Max cleans the place up & begins his heartwarming journey down memory lane in a series of meaningful flashbacks. These flashbacks include a young Max (an impressive Freddie Highmore) playing chess and tennis with his Uncle. They chat over wine about the many values of life. Max also enjoys catching up with land caretakers, Francis & Ludivine. Things come to a halt when Christie (Abbie Cornish) shows up claiming that she is the illegitimate daughter of Henry (wanting to learn all about him). Is she so innocent? Does she want the chateau? Does Max even care about wanting to sell the chateau anymore? And how will local vamp, Fanny Chenal (a sexy Marion Cotillard) figure in to the situation at hand? Will her presence and je ne sais qua keep Max grounded on French soil? Is there love there? All of these questions are answered quite predictably, & with a slight air of charm.
Essentially, this is the simple story of a man who leaves one unfulfilling life behind him & start anew at the place where the 'grandest' moments of his life were born. There is nothing to dislike here, yet there's nothing to get all hyped up about, either. I hardly think I will look for this film down the road to rent, buy, or catch on television. And not to sound like a broken record (among other critic peers), but this really is a larger scale Under the Tuscan Sun. It's sweet (unlike the wine that is produced on Max's land), it's nostalgic, its beautifully filmed. As usual, Ridley Scott has supervised some brilliant cinematography. Each scene drizzles with greens, yellows, sepias, & maroons ... which highlight the sun, trees, sky, grass, soil, wine, etc.
And I also enjoyed the French actors & the French dialogue that is interwoven through the film; I like the authenticity of it. Russell Crowe is a wonder. Never am I disappointed in his performance. Whether he's a gladiator, a captain, a boxer, or a stock broker, he nails it each time. He encompasses cockiness, arrogance, coldness, just as well as warmth, charisma, charm, & acceptance. Albert Finney is great as 'the sage', as always. And the French actors convey realism, joy, and effervescence on screen. 'A Good Year' is light, airy, harmless, romantic (although that subplot is a bit contrived), lovely and low-key. But it is also predictable; and lacks spark or an ability to have any resonance years from now. It will be a blip on the cinematic radar.