Review: ‘Bottle Shock’

Michelle:

‘Bottle Shock’ is a little film based on the true story of what led up to the legendary Judgement of Paris, when California wine beat French wine in a blind taste test in 1976. Directed by Randall Miller, who also wrote the screenplay along with Jody Savin and Ross Schwartz, it premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival in which some of the actual players portrayed in the movie attended. “Bottle Shock” refers to vibration during travel may shock and bruise the wine and it may need up to a week to settle and return to its original color and taste.

‘Bottle Shock’ stars Bill Pullman as Chateau Montelena owner Jim Barrett and Chris Pine as his son Bo Barrett. Alan Rickman (Severus Snape in the “Harry Potter” flicks) plays Steven Spurrier, the English wine shop owner who traveled to California and arranged the tasting. Rachael Taylor (Transformers) plays a wine intern, Sam, who becomes a romantic interest for both Bo and fellow wine maker Gustavo Brambila played by Freddy Rodriguez. Chris Pine gives us a good preview of what we can expect from him in 2009 as Capt Kirk in Paramount’s ‘Star Trek.’

While not ‘Sideways,’ ‘Bottle Shock’ is so laid-back that it never quite finds its footing – comedy or drama? Or to use the vernacular – sweet or dry? This vintage of film needed a little more fermentation.

(2.5 out of 5 stars)

Travis:

Based on a true story… I love seeing those words before a movie. For me, it adds an extra element of intrigue to the story, knowing that the events I am about to experience on the big screen had in some way actually occurred in reality. These movies offer both entertainment in a more traditional cinematic setting than documentaries, while also educating or enlightening the viewer on some level. ‘Bottle Shock’ was a pleasant surprise for me, having known nothing about the film going into the screening, but leaving the theater intellectually satisfied and entertained.

Bill Pullman plays Jim Barrett, the pig-headed California wine-maker who obsessed with creating the perfect Chardonnay. He struggles with his slacker post-Woodstock hippie son Bo (Chris Pine) and the fact that he’s flat broke and owes the bank some major debt. All Jim wants is to succeed in creating a quality and successful wine, but refuses help from anyone. Gustavo (Freddy Rodriguez) is perhaps his greatest asset to the winery, but when he learns that he’s been developing a wine of his own he lets him go. All of this drama and tension builds up just before Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) shows up to invite California wineries to put their wares up against that of the legendary French fares. Spurrier is a British national who loves French wine and loathes the idea of California trying to prove itself a worldly wine competitor. He stages a blind wine testing between several American and French wines with the intention to embarrass the Californian hopefuls, but instead learns for himself that the States actually have some decent wine. Thus, is the story behind the great tasting of 1976, which resulted in two distinct bottles of wine being added to the Smithsonian Institute’s permanent collection.

Everyone in this movie does a fine job. Rickman is great as the snobby Brit who wishes he were French. I especially enjoyed Freddy Rodriguez, although his role was only minimally crucial to the story. I really enjoyed his performance in ‘Lady in the Water’ (stop throwing tomatoes!) and thought he offered the same encouraging level of acting in ‘Bottle Shock’. Bill Pullman was Bill Pullman, no complaints there. The story has some light romance as well, that involves both Gustavo and Bo with an intern who wants to learn the craft of wine-making. While not as compelling or successful as ‘Sideways’ this film does still hold some of the same appeal, featuring drama with light comedy based in realistic human interactions. Definitely worth watching.

(3.5 stars out of 5)

Ram Man:

There are things that you never forget: USA vs Russia in the”Miracle on Ice”, Apollo 11 landing on the Moon, The Rams winning the Superbowl. Bottle Shock tells us another underdog story that we never knew “California vs. France in the wine showdown”. Bottle Shocktell the story of the beginnings of the Napa Valley Wine industry and their miraculous victory over the French in a blind taste test.

It is 1976, America is celebrating their Bicentennial and the French are the foremost authority on wine. Everything is about to change! Jim Barrett (Bill Puhlman) is an ex-attorney turned wine maker and owner of the Chateau Montelena winery in Napa Valley California. Jim escaped the hustle and bustle of La Law scene to pursue his dream of the perfect Chardonnay. Jim is constantly butting heads with his slacker son Bo (Chris Pine). They have a unique way of settling disputes and making decisions on the winery…in the boxing ring. Bo, who thinks he still at Woodstock, is not the help Jim needs to put Chateau Montelena on the map. Jim’s real right hand, a local worker Gustavo (Freddy Rodriegez) , is the heart of the operation. But Gusatvo has dreams of his own, mainly making his own wine label from grapes he has been secretly cultivating.

Back across the pond, Steven Spurrier(Alan Rickman) business man hoping to save his floundering Wine shop, stages a blind taste test between the great wines of France and the new upstarts in the Napa Valley in California. Spurrier has a secret agenda :embarrass the USA on an important anniversary of their independence. Spurrier travels to California to sample and choose the wines for the compitetion. His travels bring him to Chateau Montelena and Jim Barrett, who sees right through him. He denies Spurrier’s request to bring Jim’s Chardonnay to Paris. Bo realizing this is the final hope for the business secretly get the wine to Spurrier and they both collaborate to get all the wine to Paris. You are only allowed 1 carry on bottle of wine, so Steve and Bo must convince the entire flight ot bring a bottle on board. *Wine Tip* The title of the film “Bottle Shock” is a wine term that refers to wine that is more or less jet-lagged from being transported in a cargo hold. All the wine arrives safely and Both Jim and Gustavo’s wines make the competition.

A telegram arrives, informing the Barrett’s of the success and the impending competition. The other wineries receive the same telegram. Fear of a fix covers the crowd and after a small deliberation they chose to send Bo to Paris to make sure the competition is on the up and up. The contest goes on as planned and Napa wines sweep the taste test to the shock and awe of the ego inflated French. The rest as they say is history. You can tell as you walk through your local supermarket what ramifications this small piece of cultural history has made. Now you have wines from all over the Globe not just a small region in Paris.

Bottle Shock is the “Rocky” for wine lovers across the country. The film features outstanding performances from Rickman and Rodriguez and serves to inform Americans on a little known piece of it’s Nation’s accomplishment. Raise your glasses and give a toast to Bottle shock, the latest in a line of “true” underdog stories that serve to inspire and entertain us.

(3.75 out of 5)

[rating: 3.25/5]