Bottle Shock (2008)

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

Bottle Shock is, on the surface, about a blind wine-tasting competition, held in France, where California and French nectared offerings of the vine are vying for top marks from le creme de la crop of French wine aficionados. What captivated however is the intoxicating depth of the connections between the players and what motivates each of them. There's the connection between the non-French businessmen in France. There's the connection between father and son. Between the vintners in CA who are tired of being red-headed stepchildren in the world of wine, like the rest of the world, in comparison with French wine. Between Mexican vintner whose love of the art is ancestral and imbibed with passion and the rich man who is playing at it -- albeit playing hard. Between the non-committed but committed intern and the heads she turns. Motivations traverse the gamut, from purely business to a search for significance. There's a dry humour throughout and a collective heart that squeezes tears. The competition is based on a true story, which adds depth upon depth.

It's 1976 Calistoga, California. Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman) is desperate to scrap up the money to perfect his chardonnay. His son Bo (Chris Pine) is a lot less patient. Sam Fulton (Rachael Taylor) surprises everybody as the new intern. Gustavo Brambila (Freddy Rodríguez) is the foreman trying to make his own wine, and Bo's best friend. In Paris, sommelier Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) has a failing wine shop. He is challenged by his next door neighbor American Maurice Cantavale (Dennis Farina) to go taste some Californian wine. He goes to find some Californian wines to challenge the french ones in a blind taste test. He has a roadside breakdown and Jim Barrett coincidentally rescues him. He is amazed at Jim's wine and the rest of the area wines.This is a nice charming true story. Alan Rickman has a friendly snotty attitude. He's snobby without being arrogant. I think that's the key. He's actually likable. As for the romantic triangle, I like the hot girl not picking the handsome leading man but then she changes her mind. It's balanced out by an angry Bill Pullman. He provides the little bit of drama in the movie.

This is very much worth watching! And you don't really even need to know anything about wine to enjoy it.A wonderful story and well made film, it sets the tone early on, and gives every character a chance to tell their story, one way or another. It does very well about not going into great depth about the how and why winemakers/vintners and judges go about what they do, but you see and hear just enough about it to satisfy any curiosity.Coupled with a very good cast, this movie is also easy to watch, which adds to the enjoyability. The costuming seems to be done quite well, and a standout of the 'set dressing' to put you into 1976 is well done - particularly with the vehicles!

Being a huge fan of Alan Rickman, I queued this movie up in Netflix as soon as I saw it. Rickman, is, of course, spot on with a subtle and wonderful performance as the British wine snob. I was also surprised to see so many other great actors in this movie such as Bill Pullman, Freddie Rodriguez and Chris Pine. The cast is great and the story is compelling. I literally found myself on the edge of my seat during some of the scenes, not normally something I would suspect from a movie of this sort.I was also impressed at how this movie told the true story of Napa Valley's emergence into the wine community as a true contender. I wasn't familiar with the history of California wines so this movie was very educational. I think this is a great movie for wine enthusiasts but even those who don't care for wine will be entertained.