Caffeinated Clint
If you do need the attestation that Crowe’s such a good actor that he does deserve to have his green card handed back to him (and obviously, he’s going to have to get a hold of it real soon because he’s just snagged a role in the pricey redo of “3:10 to Yuma” – proof that things are looking up for him), or do inherit the warm and fuzzies from the simplest of things, “A Good Year” is worth a look – even if that means waiting for its Cable premiere.
Russell Crowe, Albert Finney, Marion Cotillard, Didier Bourdon, Abbie Cornish
In his latest movie, Russell Crowe plays an out-and-out asshole who seems to get off on being totally unpleasant to all: he’ll give the finger to anyone, rudely insult co-workers, expects employees see him as a king, and nauseatingly guzzles booze like his throat is the only route to extinguishing an out-of-control bonfire. Its only after a good kick in the pants, and a trip back home, that he starts to realize that he has to stop living and operating the way he has been. What better a movie for a guy who has been throwing both his weight – and phones – around for the past couple of years, eh?
Hollywood’s so unforgiving – as Mel Gibson can now attest to – that former box office king Crowe (who just before the release of his last major film, the ill-fated “Cinderella Man”, was arrested for assaulting a hotel clerk) has been relocated from first to economy in the space of 18 months, and as a result, his comeback vehicle, “A Good Year” is a significantly smaller – though obviously not too small, since Ridley Scott directs it – and far less ambitious film than the fare Crowe headlined before his fall from grace. Thing is, it’s exactly the film the Oscar Winner needed to do – if only because it was the only one the insurance company would back – in order to get back into peoples good books. For the most part, it was a wise decision too…. Giving audiences a chance to rediscover Crowe’s chameleon knack for immersing himself in a character.
Thing is, as good as Crowe is in the movie (in fact, any movie – he is a terrific actor) and as sweet as the story is, it’s a movie that’s as dated as hot cross buns in December. We have seen this storyline – big time hot shot (Crowe) heads home to simpleton where he discovers that there’s more to life than savings and shagging – time and time before; and done better (see “Under the Tuscan Sun” for an example of one of those films). In this case, it’s a British broker named Max that’s about to be transformed. When his estranged uncle Henry (Albert Finney, seen in flashbacks) dies, and neglects to leave a will behind, Max – being the closest known relative – inherits the man’s lavish Provence vineyard. Naturally, Max heads there with the plan to quickly sell it… but once he gets to know the locals, and the place, he rediscovers a new reason for living. Or something. Cue predictably warm-and-fuzzy ‘man comes to revelation’ ending.
Sure, there are some wonderful locations here, and there are a few wondrous performances to back Crowe up (newcomers Marion Cotillard and Didier Bourdon are especially superb), but even smaller films can be both original and fresh, and sadly this one doesn’t encompass either element.
In addition, rising Australian actress Abbie Cornish (star of the overrated “Somersault”) smudges the films pretty picture with a very incredulous performance – as Kristy, an American girl who turns up at the vineyard claiming to be the late owner’s daughter – that’s largely the fault of a terribly specious American accent. Not the big Hollywood breakthrough role she needs to have right now…. Not sounding like that, anyway.
If you do need the attestation that Crowe’s such a good actor that he does deserve to have his green card handed back to him (and obviously, he’s going to have to get a hold of it real soon because he’s just snagged a role in the pricey redo of “3:10 to Yuma” – proof that things are looking up for him, and he has actually been shooting “American Gangster” in NYC, so obviously he is being allowed back into the country), or do inherit the warm and fuzzies from the simplest of things, “A Good Year” is worth a look – even if that means waiting for its Cable premiere.
Rating : 
Reviewer : Clint Morris
