Bottle Shock

While some people might immediately try to compare this film to Sideways, that would be a big mistake. Both films might share wine as their subject matter but diverge dramatically from there.

Bottle Shock tells an unknown story of Californian wine beating French wine in a surprise blind taste test (no one was more surprised than the French).

Having the US as the Underdog, seeing the passion of the wine makers and seeing the French being served makes this an absolutely wonderful 2 hours.

Bill Pullman was superb, Alan Rickman portrayed the quintessential snobbish Britt, Rachael Taylor was stunning and Dennis Farina was "Bacon Fat with a hint of Ripe Mellon!"

Fun movie, and funnier than I thought it would be. Rickman was fantastic. I've never been a huge fan of his, but I really saw his talent and sense of humor come thru in this movie. I think even he might laugh during the movie.

I must say, when heard about this movie at Sundance, I thought it was going to give a documentary treatment to the wine competition in Paris. I thought it would something I'd sip red wine to, with a fellow wine geek. Instead this movie was VERY entertaining. It put me more in the mood to drink a good bottle of white with my wife, and...well, you get the idea.

The movie is not without some quirks, but I think a non-critic will "like it a lot," as Freddy Rodriguez says about his wine. It is a feast for the eyes. I can't wait to see it on Blu-Ray!

Yes, it may be a bit Hollywood-ized, but overall it's a fun film with a great cast. Alan Rickman is delightful as Stephen Spurrier (not portraying him as effete, as the real S. Spurrier complained of upon reading the screenplay), and Bill Pullman, Freddy Rodriguez, and Chris Pine all turn in great performances as well. Dennis Farina is an amusing and welcome addition if also because of his scenes with Rickman. One negative aspect is that the gorgeous and talented Rachael Taylor is not put to better use. Also, one very negative aspect is that the love plot is totally weird and seems an afterthought - the movie would have been a lot better without it.

That said, I really don't have other complaints, and I found the story interesting and basically just enjoyed the film. Sure, it may have some corny scenes, but geez.. when was the last time you watched a movie without a corny scene?? Just because you've seen the story before in, say, The Mighty Ducks, doesn't make it necessarily bad.

Also, for those who have issues with the facts of the story that have been changed, you can rent any number of documentaries on the story for free from your library - this film, might I remind you, declares itself "based" on a true story, which it is. I also highly recommend checking out George Taber's book, Judgment of Paris, which inspired this film.

Bottle Shock was a fun little ride. Certainly not without faults, but the predictable payoff was fun and the film wrapped up in a nice way. It's not quite the laugh-out-loud comedy the previews have tried to build it up to be, but this little film has heart, and though alone that can't carry it to greatness, it does make for an enjoyable evening at the movies.

The performances are mostly quite good. Chris Pine as Bo Barrett does a wonderful job as our unambitious young hero. The part has been written stereotypically for a NorCal 70's stoner, but Pine manages to find the subtle and human aspects within that stereotype. He's exciting to watch throughout. As impressive as Pine is, Freddy Rodriguez as his quietly more ambitious buddy, Gustavo Brambila, overshadows him a bit. Rodriguez's passion, his quick changes of pace and tone, and his unexpected energy make Brambila the best part of the film. He plays beautifully, moment-to-moment, and though you're never sure where he'll take you, you're always ready to go. Rachael Taylor as Sam rounds out our three young leads. Taylor does a very nice job. She's sexy and fun, not overly impressive, but she keeps up with the boys and seems to have a good time doing it. Jim Pullman as Jim Barrett is a bit disappointing. He doesn't do a poor job, per say, but he doesn't do anymore than is required of him. Jim Barrett is a pigheaded and tight-wound man, with a passion for growing wine. Pullman's performance gives us this, but nothing else. You don't see any other aspects of the man. It was very two-dimensional and left me wanting. Alan Rickman does a wonderful job as Steven Spurrier, an arrogant and uptight wine snob. All the little quirks of Spurrier come out in Rickman's performance. He's a poser, a bit of a loser, and has a sadness beneath the surface that makes him very human, and engaging to watch. Also worth noting is the fabulous performance of Bradley Whitford as Professor Saunders. It's a small supporting role, one scene, but a key scene in the script, and Whitford plays it off beautifully. Possibly the best scene in the film, and he strolls on and steals it. Disappointing supporting performances come from both Denise Farina as Maurice and Eliza Dushku as Joe. Both actors play the same thing they always seem to play, and in neither case does it entirely seem to fit the role. He's abrasive, she's a tough girl, and they're both repeating performances we've seen them give before.

This film's main faults lie in the structuring of it's second act. The most blame for this lies in the Film Editing by Randall Miller and Dan O'Brien which is erratic and jerky, the Original Music by Mark Adler which opens the film beautifully but begins leading the action in strange ways later on (popping in at awkward and noticeable moments, straining drama into melodrama), and the Writing by Jody Savin, Randall Miller and Ross Schwartz (story by all three plus Lannette Pabon) which seems to lose track of whose story to follow and how to follow it.

In the end, as always, most of the blame and praise falls on the Director, and though Randall Miller's work here is certainly uneven, the performances he manages to illicit bring a joy to the screen that is hard not to feel. I left the theatre pleased, musing at the films problems rather than berating them. As I have said, it's a film full of heart, and that makes up for a lot.

The ensemble dramedy is always a potentially great film, and what it ultimately comes down to is the writing, and whether or not the film is heartfelt enough for its audience to be moved. While Bottle Shock won't be winning any Oscars, it certainly accomplishes the aforementioned goals. In short, the film is very honest, heartfelt, informative, and enjoyable. It will draw its comparisons to 'Sideways' because of the subject matter and some of the characters (Bill Pullman in BS and Paul Giamatti in SW have similar characters), but what sets Bottle Shock apart is that it looks at the wine itself as a character. You care just as much about the wine as you do about the characters.

Bottle Shock may be categorized as a comedy in some listings, but I felt that this isn't right. It's more of a drama than comedy, but it does have its light hearted and funny moments, most of which center around Rickman's British man getting involved in 1970's California culture. The film does a great job of setting up an atmosphere in which we can get lost in, not to mention shows a part of the USA rarely seen. The cinematography and physical landscape of the film is beautiful. It also is smoothly edited.

The acting is always a topic of conversation in this kind of movie, and I found the film to have a lot of subtle and powerful performances, especially from Bill Pullman and Alan Rickman. Pullman's character is quite the specimen. A man who's quit his job as a lawyer (and partner of a firm) to grow grapes, essentially, and is having a hard time watching it fail. I felt that Pullman nailed the nuances and little emotions he needed to. He also had a good dynamic with Chris Pine. The restrained anger was especially well done by the veteran. Alan Rickman gives yet another interesting and intriguing performance in a part that was probably written for him. In the hands of any other actor, the character is bland at best, but Rickman gives Steven Spurrier a certain depth that makes him likable despite his snobbish attitude.

Surprising me with yet another great show after his wonderful performance in 'Bobby', Freddy Rodriguez gets a lot to chew on here. This guy has got to be one of the most underrated and rare talents in the business. I appreciated his Oscar worthy turn in 'Bobby', and he probably gives the most difficult and well done performance after Pullman. Chris Pine is acceptable, but is nothing special. Rachael Taylor has a certain likable charm about her (she has gorgeous hair and eyes), though the fact that her strong British accent slipped into her obviously fake American one a few times bothered me. Dennis Farina and Eliza Dushku are nice additions in smaller parts.

Bottle Shock certainly isn't for everyone. You won't find super huge action sequences or psychotic bad guys here, but you'll find a remarkable character study with a compelling enough story to keep a viewer interested. It is a movie that doesn't require a ton of thought, but some attention is needed. I will give our director and writer some props for keeping the movie going smoothly. It never dragged or was boring. If this one is playing at your local cinema, I advise you to give it a chance.