Review of A Good Year (2006) by C.r. L — 06 Dec 2009

Ridley Scott has brought us some amazing films in the past: Alien(1979), Blade Runner(1982), Thelma and Louise(1991) and Gladiator(2000). While Scott has always given us good action films and compelling dramas it's a first for him and moviegoers to make a romantic dramedy. A Good Year is compelling, heartfelt, touching, sweet, romantic and sentimental. It's one of the best of the genre and a major step up for Scott and Crowe.

A Good Year is something that at first glance may look like nothing more than a standard Rom Com but in reality it is something more, much more. Ridley Scott has created a compelling and thought provoking look into the life of a man(Crowe) who's only goal in life is too make money, it's not until that his money grubbing and selfish ways cause him to lose touch with the one man(Finney) that was a mentor and a father to him. And it takes the death of his beloved Uncle Henry Finney to bring him back to his Uncle's vineyard in Provence, France where it all began for him. Ridley Scott's A Good Year is a great film with great heart and amazing depth of emotion that will lift you up if not inspire you to be more than you can be. All in all it's an amazing film that must be experienced and watched over and over again.

Russell Crowe gives an amazing and heartfelt performance he really brings the charm, the style and some of the laughs in this well executed film. If not for Crowe being cast as the lead role Max Skinner this film would have crumbled and fallen under anyone else in this part, Crowe is essential to this film and is amazing to watch him out of his character. Albert Finney is a class act in this film and even though he's not in the film much except in flashbacks he really puts his all into those scenes and makes the most out of it. Abbie Cornish (Who I have never heard of until this film.) is a good contrast to Crowe's character and gives us a good show. The cast puts on a great show and helps make this a stand-out in the romantic dramedy cross genre.

A Good Year is a film that I passed up two years ago due to the fact that it didn't really capture my attention but now I'm glad I took the time to watch it. It's a film that lifts your soul and takes it soaring to new heights with it's high spirited and heartfelt story and intoxicating scenery. It's an all around great time and a film that captures the emotion of the lush French countryside and the emotional tale of the search for the broken soul of a lost man. All in all it delivers.