A Good Year (2006)

A Good Year, 113min, United States, United Kingdom

Comedy, Romance

Ridley Scott, Russell Crowe, Freddie Highmore, Albert Finney, Archie Panjabi, Richard Coyle, Rafe Spall, Tom Hollander, Kenneth Cranham, Marion Cotillard, Magali Woch

Max Skinner’s (Russell Crowe) uncle, Henry (Albert Finney) has just died and has left his vineyard in France to Max. When he was a boy visiting his uncle’s vineyard, Henry taught him to appreciate the little things in life. As an adult, Max has seemingly forgotten this lesson and has built a steady business career for himself in the London. Always a businessman, he rushes to France to take a look at the property he’s inherited and arrange to sell it for a hefty sum.

When he arrives in France, he quickly learns it will not be quite as easy as he thought to sell the property. The vineyard is in bad shape and will take a lot of time and energy to repair. To make matters worse, he is distracted by a grouchy winemaker Francis Duflot (Didier Bourdon) who inspects Max’s soil and plants and insists they’re in poor condition. Additionally, Max’s supposed long lost cousin, Christie (Abbie Cornish), appears and insists she’s Henry’s illegitimate daughter. Max fears she’ll try to claim his estate for herself. He begins to fall for the local coffee shop owner, Fannie (Marion Cotillard) and with her help, determines what it is he wants to do with his debilitating vineyard.