Russell Crowe finds himself in France tending to the vineyard left to him by his deceased uncle in the somewhat confusing light comedy A Good Year.
In A Good Year, Maximillian (Russell Crowe) is a ruthless day trader in London, running through his life at the speed of a bullet. He lives a life of indulgence and his quest is to always win and make more money. When he receives word that his only known blood relative has died - his uncle Henry (Albert Finney) in France - he makes his way to the vineyards in hopes to sell his inherited land at a profit.
Of course, when he gets there, things are not what he expects them to be ... internal conflict ensues. Walking through the vineyards as he did when he was a kid brings back memories and lessons long forgotten.
Despite quite a few amusing moments brought on by the strength of its supporting characters, plenty of subtle humour and a picturesque backdrop of the French countryside, the movie still suffers from unpolished storytelling. It was as if plot elements were thought out separately and arranged like post-it notes on a wall. As with many Hollywood movies, A Good Year, is incredibly predictable from beginning to end.
Special Features:
An interesting feature on the Widescreened edition of A Good Year actually contains a hybrid behind the scenes/ audio commentary feature. When choosing the audio commentary option, you are immediately transported to behind the scenes featurettes as the film plays. I found myself really enjoying this way of watching the film - as it actually combines the whole DVD experience into one event. Of course you also have the option of watching the behind the scenes featurettes individually.
