Bottle Shock

Starring: Chris Pine, Alan Rickman, Dennis Farina, Bill Pullman, Freddy Rodriguez, Rachael Taylor, Eliza Dushku
Directed by: Randall Miller
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Drama
2008

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Several small California wineries compete to unseat the French wineries as the greatest wine makers in the world.

Review:

Tim: I'm actually a big fan of Bottle Shock. It is an interesting little movie about how the California Wine industry challenged the Paris wine industry and in the process, changed the way people thought about good wine. It features a very good cast, strong performances, and is a very entertaining movie. It is a lighthearted, funny film, and I enjoyed it very much.

It was interesting to watch this film, knowing it is based on a true story- specifically, the now famous "Judgment of Paris" wine tasting competition. It's also an underdog tale- how small California wineries went up against the historically superior French wines. In addition, it's a story of some down-on-their-luck individuals and how they overcome the odds to succeed. While the film takes some liberties with the story, the fact that it's rooted in reality made a difference to me.

The cast really makes this movie. I liked Chris Pine in the lead role. I don't think he gave a fantastic performance, but it was a strong showing, and I genuinely liked him in the film. Alan Rickman and Dennis Farina are fantastic. I loved their scenes together. Bill Pullman was a brilliant addition to the cast. I've always liked Pullman, and I think he worked very, very well in the film. I also was glad to see Freddy Rodriguez (he's an underrated actor), Eliza Dushku, and Rachael Taylor. The entire cast works well together, and I had a very fun time watching them all interact.

Bottle Shock is interesting because of how it blends wine, love, drama, and humor together into this wonderful little package. This is a movie that is effortless to enjoy. Unlike many movies, you don't have to work to get inside it. It seems lightweight on the surface, although it has many layers underneath. I do wish the movie moved a bit quicker, and it could have used an even better performance by Pine, but it still does so much right that these flaws are minimized.

It was incredibly hard not to want to drink some wine after seeing this movie. In fact, that's exactly what I did. Upon finishing this film, I went to pick up a bottle (and consequently, some KFC- that scene with Alan Rickman made me want some fried chicken really bad) and I am drinking wine as I type this up. I've never really understood the sophisticated side of wine, but it's fascinating to watch that passion and expertise unfold on screen. There's truly something magical about the process of making great wine, and that comes across extremely well in this film. There's also some absolutely jaw-dropping cinematography of Napa Valley and the beautiful rolling hills of wine country.

Wine enthusiasts should like this movie, but anyone could enjoy the true story and the interesting characters presented in this film. I very much enjoyed this movie and I highly recommend it.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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