From the Vine

It is hard to understand where those few very negative reviews came from. This is a nice, if unspectacular, movie about a 60-something man, very successful, who decides to jump out of the corporate rat race and reconnect with his roots in Italy.

Joe Pantoliano, who was so good as the villain in 'The Matrix', is Marco Gentile (pronounced genn-TEE-lay). One day he just quits work and buys two tickets to Italy. His wife is totally blindsided and stays home but Marco looks up his deceased grandfather's estate. The vineyards are mostly neglected and one winemaker produces a small amount each year.

This movie is about Marco rejuvenating his life and in the process his family relationships too. This is not a deep movie, the rigors of getting workers, tending to a vineyard and making excellent wine are treated superficially. However it is a nice, heartwarming, entertaining story.

I found it streaming on Amazon Prime.

A US executive (Joe Pantoliano) moves to Italy to reopen his grandfathers vineyard.

I liked Russell Crowe's "A Good Year" and thought this would be equally charming and engaging but this is really a poor imitation.

Weak plot, poorly executed and not even the beautiful Italian language and landscape can save this one.

For a person like me who typically doesn't watch films such as this, I was completely amazed at how much From The Vine affected me in a positive way.

I watched this film knowing only that it was related to wine and it was set in Italy. As I was watching, I quickly found out that its not only about wine and the beauty of Italy, its about finding your true self, the importance of family and that having money and success isn't the most important thing in life, leaving you to appreciate what you have and who you have around you.

Through the great storyline, the perfectly timed comedic elements, the beautiful cinematography, the wonderful direction and the amazing performances from Joe Pantoliano, Marco Leonardi, Paula Brancati, Wendy Crewson and so many other amazing actors in the film, From The Vine draws you in right away and takes you on a beautiful journey that will leave you smiling by the end credits.

I watched this film with my mom and we both really enjoyed, which is impressive in its own way since its hard for us to find a film we both love.

The narrative was relatable, cohesive and with just the right amount of romantic flair. Some of the shots in the film were so aesthetically beautiful, it made me wish I could be there in person. Wendy Crewson and Paula Brancati gave great performances as well, bringing a lot of depth to their characters and played well off one another in their shared scenes. Aside from the beautiful script and breathtaking cinematography, the film taught me things about Acerenza and the wine-making process that wouldn't of even crossed my mind (i.e the candle in the cellar). It's almost like a small documentary was tucked into the film, and I can appreciate when a film has so many layers to it.

The best part of the film for me was that it was so relatable. In today's world where our work lives have been disrupted by current events... It was nice to watch a film that told you "It's okay to start over. Work and money isn't all that life has to offer.".. which is a really beautiful kind of message that people, myself included, need right now. It's just such a feel good film.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this film. It had just the right balance of whimsy and realism. The scenes of Italy were just beautiful and will make you want to at least visit an Italian vineyard. The acting, the dialog were fine, no complaints. Not every film has to be a masterpiece. I just want to enjoy what I watch and this one had me smiling all the way through.