Uncorked

My wife & I recently visited Napa Valley last October for our anniversary, & attended a few wine tastings in Barcelona the year before. So I was definitely familiar with the subject matter(my wife's has been interested with the wine 🍷 industry for a while now) So this movie was a no brainer recommendation for her. What I really appreciate it about this movie was that it was towed from a Black perspective it wasn't the typical black story so to speak. I really loved Courtney B Vance and Neicy Nash's chemistry on screen. The lead Mamadou Athie, did a great Job with expressing the dilemma with Wanting to pursue your dreams and not disappoint your father I definitely could relate to the on screen performances from him and Courtney B Vance. Really good job, without spoiling anything I think the one great that viewers may have Is the feeling of unfulfillment with the ending. That's not to say that it wasn't a good movie because it was I could just see that being the one critique of the film. I am myself definitely understood the message with him wanting to continue pursuing what he set out to do and I appreciated that.

This is not a movie about wine or becoming a sommelier although there are aspects of that. It is a movie about relationships, family life and respect and love. A movie bout ambition and fulfilling dreams that both you have and others have for you. The characters seemed normal and there is so much going on that is relatable. Highlight for me was the terrifically chosen soundtrack. I really enjoyed this.

Life is never a straight line. Very few of us are doing what we thought we would be doing, or arrived in the manner we thought we would. This movie is a direct reflection of that.

One particular scene, without ruining it, is near the very end. I won't explain it but I hope you will recognize it when you see it. The way the director/writer worked in the imagery and what he was struggling with at that particular time was incredibly effective.

Uncorked (2020) is a movie my wife and I watched together on Netflix during the pandemic. The storyline follows a young man whose father is a farm and restaurant owner and wants his son to follow in his footsteps. Instead, the son wants to go to school to become a master sommelier. The son tries to manage both his father's business and his dreams but eventually the paths will have to separate and how it impacts their relationship and direction may be a challenge.

This movie is directed by Prentice Penny (Insecure) in his directorial debut and stars Courtney B. Vance (Dangerous Minds), Mamoudou Athie (The Circle), Sasha Compère (Love Life), Niecy Nash (Reno 911!) and Kelly Jenrette (The Hand's Maid Tale).

The character development and portrayal in this is excellent. The writing around the dialogue, father/son dynamic and character evolution was triumphant and pulls at your heart strings. The main character is easy to root for and the vision and dedication was well portrayed. The cast overall was captivating. The ending of the movie was great and felt authentic.

Overall this is a very well done picture that is definitely worth a viewing. I would score this an 8/10 and strongly recommend it.

I live in France so can understand the obsession some have with wine. Why such an overall low rating? This was beautifully acted with a believable open ending. No rush at the end to tie things up. It was great to watch a black film without a feeling of dread.