A Good Year directed by Ridley Scott….. In Cinemas November 6, 2006
Based on: The novel by Peter Mayle
Genre: Chick Flick posing as a goofy comedy
Who: Russell Crowe, Abbie Cornish, Marion Cotillard, Albert Finney, Freddie Highmore.
The Plot: Aussie bloke posing as a ruthless, unpleasant English banker inherits a struggling vineyard in Provence. Cut to gorgeous French house here. A pretty Aussie girl posing as an American relative turns up. The unpleasant banker decides to stay in Provence and sell off the estate. Fights with the local French. (Insert Pommie joke here). Meets pretty French girl. Why she falls for the ruthless unpleasant banker no one knows. (Cut to shot of beautiful French countryside here.) Ruthless Banker discovers the wonder of nature and living in South of France and the value of family (Cut to cliché flashbacks here). A few smooches. A swim in the pool. A few shots of a French café. Ruthless cranky unpleasant English banker turns into a ruthless cranky unpleasant English banker in love in France. The end.
Acting: Russell Crowe is hopelessly miscast in this movie. Apart from his shocking English accent that wavers between an upper class accent to an Aussie accent he outrageously awkward playing comedy. Read: not funny Jan. But keep calm; Albert Finney is fantastic as the old uncle and the little boy from Neverland is great too. If he didn’t have to wear spectacles.
Photography: It’s a Ridley Scott movie; of course it’s fantastic. “Scott has not lost his eye for a ravishing composition, and the estate looks as pretty as a brochure.” BBC
Design: A divine, stone, sun dappled house in Luberon in the south of France with a huge terrace, rolling gardens and vineyards; what more do you want? A gorgeous square swimming pool, fabulous stone floors, beautiful light pouring through the trees.
Wardrobe: Russell Crowe swaps his chic wellcut suits in London for earthy linens in France. But why does he wear terrible red spectacles straight from 1986? The French waitress (romantic interest ) wears the requisite French stripe Top and cute little sundresses with espadrilles. Very Chloe Spring summer 2003.
Salon de Beaute: Abbie Cornish has the worst hair with cornrow Heidi Style plaits. Russell’s hair is very bad, straight from the 80’s constantly changing throughout. They didn’t know what to do with it. Please explain.
Botox. Russell needs it. I want it for his bad accent. And house envy.
Waterproof mascara: Two applications should be applied before you go home and cry about not living in a divine house in the south of France with a vineyard. .
Mind drifted to shopping: When Russell Crowe was trying to be romantic.
Smokin’ smooches: Smooches were not so smokin’ but worthy of a chick flick ratingMoral to the story: Life should be savoured like a good wine
Rename it: Under the Provencale Sun
Best Review: “ A Good Year is the kind of polished Hollywood product that intelligent, informed, hip consumers of contemporary culture are supposed to sneer at. It’s also shamelessly entertaining, and having been shot in the south of France, fabulous to look at.” Salon.com
Best Worst Review: “ It slips down easily enough but leaves a nasty residue on the palate.. A wish-fulfilment fantasy aimed squarely at middle-aged men, A Good Year might be forgiveable if it wasn’t so perilously short on joke. 2006 is a good year to pass on this bomb”
See it or donate to the Prada Bag fund? Oh just go and see it for a bit of gooey romantic escapism over in 2 hours. But remember a Prada bag will last you at least a season.
http://www.agoodyear.com/
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