IslandGuru Who payed the critics

Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict

Seraherrera The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Brooklynn There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Jawbox5 Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe teaming up once again to do a light- hearted romp set in the south of . Sounds interesting. There is something irable about directors and actors trying to tackle different genres than their usual work. Whether it is to challenge themselves or just to offer a nice change of pace. With that said, comedy is a different ball game usually. If a director or actor try their hand at comedy when they don't understand what makes it work then it can be disastrous. I'm sad to say that A Good Year is a great example of that.It's about Max, a thirty-something bond trader who is successful even though his practices are rather unethical. He's uncomfortably droll, slightly obnoxious and seems to jump from woman to woman. Gee, I think we're going to like this guy. He gets a letter that his Uncle Henry (the only actor who truly delivers here, Albert Finney) has died and his vineyard in has been ed to Max, who flies out with the intention of a quick sale. We get some overtly sentimental flashbacks to a time when Max was a young and innocent soul. I think it's incredibly obvious where the film is going even at this early stage. His uncle gives him advice and they have great relationship, which I it is portrayed well. Yet the flashbacks do nothing but fill in the gaps in the plot instead of actually building the characters.Of course Max is then suspended for a week and decides to stay in to see how it goes. The biggest problem is that Max seems relatively happy in his life and any past issues are barely touched upon. He's got money, he's good at his job and the woman seem to love him. Why would he want to leave that? I doubt a potential lawsuit is enough because even he seems nonchalant about it. We get typical romance between him and a French waitress (played by the lovely Marion Cotillard). This doesn't work because Crowe and Cotillard share no chemistry, and because from a story perspective it's impossible to understand what she sees in Max that would win her over. We also get a weird sub-plot about American backpacker Christie who might be Henry's illegitimate daughter. This adds nothing to the film except some stupidly forced and hollow conflict.The films fatal flaw comes in the shape of Russell Crowe. He can't do comedy. Crowe is a fine actor, but ask him to be funny and what you get is a mess. Max should be a sly yet charming individual, someone who's imperfect but has something that might win us over. But Crowe plays him like a conceited fool. Always mumbling mild obscenities in a polite tone and totally oblivious to any pratfalls that lie around the corner. He just does the same smirking expression for the whole film and his attempts at slapstick are best described as painful. It's a horribly misplaced performance.In regards to the films 'comedy', it really baffles me. It's as if it just decides to throw all kinds of styles at you and see what sticks. Crowe's comic timing is non-existent and as a result the majority of his jokes die a quick death. The slapstick is really annoying. One scene has Max stuck in an empty pool and he keeps trying to get out but cant and it's just weird to watch because it lacks any sense of physicality or flair. You then have formulaic stuff thrown in for good measure, like a dog that hates Max for no reason and him getting frustrated over the language barrier. Finney's joke in the film's opening was the only one that got a laugh out of me. Considering the films style it didn't have to be hilarious, but it needed to be clever or subtle to be effective. Falling back on slapstick that has been done better a million times before isn't funny.Seeing as this is Ridley Scott the sole area where the film constantly delivers is the visuals. The French countryside has never looked more radiant. The way the glow of the sun is captured, the splendour of the vineyards and the graceful beauty of these small villages. It might be eye candy, but it sure is gorgeous. Yet you could easily argue that it's almost too idyllic, for the stories sake. The sun is permanently shining, the French are witty, the women are all beautiful and there's nothing to worry about. You can paint a pretty picture, but at least try to be authentic. In fact many clichés spread throughout the film with such classics as the American tourists that are idiots and the French waitress whose heart cannot be won. Haven't seen those before.By the time A Good Year draws to a close pretty much everything you assumed would happen fifteen minutes in has happened. I haven't an issue with films that are deliberately simple and light-hearted. What I have issues with is when they are not the slightest bit amusing, alluring, smart or generally entertaining. This is a film that is crying out for charm and instead we get Crowe playing a character so incompetent and insufferable that we don't care about his plight which happens to be the whole basis of the film. It's the done-to-death guy find himself in a new environment film but with much less appeal than usual. I can only hope that both director and actor learnt their lesson.

ribas-gh Romance, Drama, English Man, French Woman, From London to French Provence, Between Banks and vineyard a total paradox! The movie is about dreams and memories from childhood that can turn out into unexpected way... But they stay the things that really matters and for which a person may really fight for! The cast is fantastic, Russell Crowe & Marion Cotillard are making a cute romance besides of other great stars and withing a sweet light comedy. I just Love this Movie !and I watched it several times, for me its inspiring, making me believe that every one can change his life and follow his dreams when it comes to find true love and the real meaning of life and happiness.

ptamilne Ask me my favorite movie and I will not hesitate with this one. I keep coming back to this movie every time I need a little visual inspiration. It's easy to get into the chaos of day to day work and this film helps to remind me to take it a little easier in life. The older I get the more this movie makes sense. Take that time, enjoy the simple things, simple pleasures and surround yourself with the people and events you care about the most. The story line has a point, the setting is beautiful and the acting is an all-star cast that delivers. The comedy is smart and does not insult ones intelligence. This is one of the rare films out there that keeps things comfortable, positive and classy. I appreciate the film and it's creativity that continues to inspire and charm. After all, one can day dream about owning a French vineyard someday.

Joao Guilherme Araujo Schimidt One of my favorite movies of all timesFirst of all, Max is a classic trader, brilliant, wealthy and arrogant, it provide he a great sense for business and trade money. Smart he know how to play with the market. Definitely he isn't the most adorable man in the City, for another hand is undeniable his talent to change the social status quo for his interests.Besides all it, he still is a great human, with a hearth to do good things, all the story change when he meets a beautiful woman with a strong ethical sense. Although his instinct sense for hunting, he is the prey, using all his charm and intelligence he start not just bring back a young prodigious boy, but a old, but not, forgot ion. He din't know but everything is already planned, in a mysterious way.The great lesson of this movies isn't about money, is about what a Good Years really is: a simple back to our with a evolution to our old dreams of kid.I strong recommend this movie.