La ferme - une comédie bio

I rented this film for one main reason, because I am a fan of Rufus Sewell, what I ended up getting out of it is so much more than just a great performance by him, but a very good film. What I admired most about it is the way it was shot, it has very clever and yet simple camera moves. The plot sways between everyday realism, and the kind of chance some dream of. It was undeniably lovely, a gem. I have never felt that a movie deserved those terms more. It's a pity not that many people will ever get to see it, and even if they did, most wouldn't be able to appreciate it. It is full of easy to understand philosophical ideas and wit. Everything feels balanced out. All in all, I liked it. Go see it, it's worth it.

First of all I must admit that I am a great admirer of Rufus Sewell. That was the main reason I couldn't hardly contain myself when this was finally released in the U.S. as Uncorked. I would not however, be so biased as not to include Nigel Hawthorne in this comment.

The story was cute, I must say a little girlie, but definitely not like every other movie. Nigel Hawthorne as Uncle Cullen was probably my favorite part of the movie. His ability to be completely impossible to all the other characters, with out making him any less likable was amazing. Of course all the performances were great, his just really stood out.

My favorite part of the entire movie though, was within the first five minutes. It was an exchange between the characters Mr. Tan and Ross regarding a straw. It sounds a little strange, but that just cracked me the heck up.

Overall I would just like to say that the wait for it to come to the U.S. was totally worth it, and I would recommend it to anyone.

My comments are for the people who will rent this movie and be tempted to turn it off after the first 30 minutes. For me, this movie had a slow start, and frankly I was scratching my head a bit wondering where this movie was going and whether I had rented a dud. My husband, son, and I persevered and loved watching this movie unfold into a delightful story about family and the accompanying quirks, highs and lows, and often misunderstandings that occur between relatives. When the movie concluded, we looked at each other and said, "Now that was a good movie!"

The main characters in this movie can't seem to let go. Of their ambitions, their sorrows, or their perceptions of the way life should unfold. They all seem to be hung up on bygone expectations, missing out on potential happiness because they can't, or won't, be where they are while they're there. They are looking for a life that they don't yet realize they don't need, or want. The main character has abandoned his dreams a long time ago, as most in this film have to some degree, and is selfishly attempting to raise the money to buy an abandoned manganese mine. His uncle tries (in a way reminiscent of Andy Griffith) to force him to see what is right in front of his face. This movie has a dream like feel and it is hard to understand at first if you are not used to accents. One should not expect this movie to be action packed, but it is a heartwarming tale of a group of people trying to find their way through life, only to find it is not the epic and tragic journey they had once expected.

Production quality has a made-for-TV feel but it doesn't matter much. Nothing is outright bad or distracting; in fact, the lighting is quite beautiful in many scenes. The story itself isn't very plausible, but leaves enough unsaid that you can imagine it possible that such eccentric characters exists in some corner of rural California.

It's the characters who make the film. Nigel Hawthorne's Uncle Cullen is the odd ascetic who sits on a pillar but manages to repair the soul of Ross (Rufus Sewell) who is chasing after the wind with his "business" ventures, and the love life of Kendal (Minnie Driver) who longs to be with her first love, but won't admit it to herself. The movie touches on spiritual matters as the characters come to understand who they really are and what they really want out of life.

The humor is sprinkled throughout, expertly placed just when the story needs an emotional pick-me-up. Mr. Tang playing the guitar is one of the funniest scenes I've seen, one that I laugh at still, after having seen it a dozen times.

High art it's not, but well made, touching and entertaining, even if the producer/director (John Huddles) is a relative unknown.