NEW Good Year (DVD)

I really don't understand all the bad reviews from critics and reviewers alike for I personally loved this movie. Now, it's not the grandest spectacle to grace the big screen nor is it Russell Crowe's finest hour, but `A Good Year' is some quality entertainment and serves it purpose in the relaxed and happy season that is fall. Having just seen the poorly made and highly overrated `Catch a Fire' I was ready to relax and watch something entertaining and enjoyable, and being the Russell Crowe fan that I undoubtedly am I decided that `A Good Year' would be just that movie.

Max Skinner (Crowe) is a stuck up British stock broker who at one time was a kind hearted soul, and his fondest memories are littered with his Uncle Henry (Finney) and his Chateau in France. Upon his Uncles death Max is left the sole owner of Henry's estate, and in like fashion he flies out there in order to sell if for profit and make it back ASAP. What he doesn't bank on is Christie Roberts (Abbie Cornish) showing up claiming to be the long lost daughter of Henry and claiming rights to his estate. Throughout the course of the film Max has to go through the stages of redemption, which include discovering the jerk he has become and rediscovering his inner child.

The two key components to his wonderful film is the scenery and the acting. The script and storyline as some have already pointed out is very unoriginal, we've seen this done plenty of times, but the beauty that is France, as well as the beauty that is Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard (who plays Fanny, the seductive woman who steals Max's heart) more than make up for the familiarity. Crowe is, as many know, my all time favorite actor ever, and I feel that he can carry any film he touches. Whether you are a fan of his phone throwing escapades or not, you have to admit that the man is gifted, very gifted. Here he proves that by being just as compelling and engrossing laughing and smiling as he is riding into battle. Albert Finney and Marion Cotillard are also wonderful here, but to me it was little Freddie Highmore (such a talented young man) who outshined most in the cast (can anyone outshine Crowe...I don't believe so).

As I said in the beginning, I don't understand all the bad press. So what if it's no `A Beautiful Mind' or `Gladiator', so what if Russell was not Lucky Jack or James Braddock, `A Good Year' is still a good time and Max Skinner is just as fun as Crowe ever was. I recommend it, I enjoyed it, no better yet, I loved every minute of it.

"A Good Year" deals with the story of Max (Crowe), a heartless guy who doesn't "do weekends" and has "questionable" work ethics (you could say), who goes back to France to his recently deceased uncle's vineyards in Provence in order to sell the property. Of course the movie is completely predictable : he falls in love with the local georgeous girl (Marion Cotillard) and he changes back into this guy who loves life and is nice and all of that good stuff. But don't hold that against the movie, because you'd then be missing out on a really good one.

The movie's been described as "Under the Tuscan Sun" with a male lead, and I guess that's somewhat accurate but at the same time not really. It does play the same stories what with getting situated in a beautiful environment, but the two lead characters in both movies are very different from one another. Diane Lane's character just wanted to get away whereas Crowe's just wants to go back so it's not exactly the same situation.
A lot of people criticize the fact that it's not Crowe's or Ridley Scott's best, and sometimes go to say it's their worst movie ever made. I personally don't see it. Coming into this movie you can't be waiting for something like "The Gladiator" because if that's the case you're in for 2 hours of boredom. So ok, it's not the best movie ever made, but it's not one of the worst either. Personally I'd say it's still above average, and considering some of the movies that have been coming out, it's almost like a little piece of paradise. The movie takes its time getting to where it wants to go, taking the time to take in all the scenery and the people and just the whole charm of the environment we've been put in. The acting is fine. It's not Russell Crowe's best but it's not horrendous either and he's just fine in the role he's playing, even if I had a tough time warming up to the character (but isn't that the point?). I'm a huge fan of Marion Cotillard so i'm biased but I thought she was great in the movie. The rest of the cast does really well too even though the neighbor had a tendency to get on my nerves.

On the whole, I thought it was a good movie, I really enjoyed it. It's a nice break from action and political movies, and there's a couple of times where you can't help but laugh (the reference to Lance Armstrong, for example). It's a movie that takes its time but I wasn't bored once, it still has momentum. But if you weren't a fan of "Under The Tuscan Sun", then beware because you won't be a fan of this one.

Oui, this is a "feel-good" movie. Oui, the script has almost no surprises in it. Oui, Ridley Scott, Russell Crowe and the rest of the cast must have had a great time shooting this.

Still, this movie delivers exactly what i expected. It made me smile, it made me laugh ("Lance Armstrong !"). It is a touch short on drama. Bon, to be honest the drama bit is poorly handled.

The actors are good and i did not feel i was making them a favour for paying to watch this movie. Ridley Scott delivers some nice views. Fair enough.

Relax, let the movie take you where you know it is going, and enjoy that simple pleasure. There are many movies out there with greater ambitions but that deliver far less.