Bottle Shock

Bottle Shock is a surprisingly funny and entertaining movie that reminds us about our humble roots in California and urges us not to take life too seriously.

Set in the 1970s just as the Napa Valley Wine Industry was about to make its grand entrance on the world stage, the film weaves together three to four character storylines in an attempt to capture the spirit of the maverick California winemakers. It succeeds on many levels.

Director Randall Miller does a wonderful job recreating Napa of the 1970s down to the detail. The Gremlin that Alan Rickman drives up in was awesome and it’s a choice that shows how Miller wanted to keep the tone light and funny (watching Rickman experience KFC for the first time is another!). With a film about wine it would have been easy to get too serious and lose sight of the comedy of this particular situation. He allows the actors to have fun with their characters and in the end we have a cast that is likable and fun to watch.

The screenplay, written by Miller along with Jody Savin and Ross Schwartz, does a good job retelling an actual event while still keeping the audience interested and rooting for the underdogs. The small dramatic “changes” made to the script do wonders to keep the audience guessing about how this true event unfolds since most already know how it ends up.

I’ve read elsewhere that some people have problems with Chris Pine as “Bo Barett” (and his wig!!) but I disagree. He plays the roll of hippie-prodigal son well and his costume/hair go a long way to keeping the film light and the comedy flowing. Bill Pullman is solid as his somewhat suffering dad and Rachel Taylor and Freddie Rodriguez are good co-stars as Bo’s hippie friends.

Alan Rickman, however, steals the show. His portrayal of a snobbish Brit who is obsessed with the French wine culture is one for the ages. Some of his one liners in this film get the loudest laughs. I won’t spoil any of the lines, but when he comes to California and has to explain to Pullman why people think he is a snob is one of the best moments of the film. In a very small roll, Dennis Farina plays Rickman’s American friend in Paris and provides some great, off-the-cuff, looks and one-liners that help us not take Rickman so seriously.

If there is anything I didn’t like about the film it’s the love interest/triangle storyline between the three younger characters. I don’t understand why it’s in the film and it makes Taylor’s character seem too much like a slut. I also found Pullman’s character a bit too “troubled” and “moody.” His relationship with his Son is a bit one dimensional until the end of the film. I would have liked to see this relationship developed more fully throughout the film.

In the end, I highly recommend this film to anybody looking for a different movie this Summer. If you are sick of explosions, car chases and big-budgeted blockbusters, this little independent film is well worth the time. If you have some knowledge of the Napa Valley wine history you’ll delight in the many inside jokes, but even if you know nothing about wine the film will leave you laughing and in a great mood.

Rating: 1/2

Film’s Website: http://www.bottleshockthemovie.com