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Unlikely Crowe in love
A GOOD YEAR
Directed by Ridley Scott
Certificate 12A
I CANNOT imagine a more unlikely actor than Russell Crowe to take on this romantic lead, nor a more unlikely movie-maker than Ridley Scott to direct him in it.
But with A Good Year the duo who brought us Gladiator have created a solid if predictable love tale,
Crowe is Max Skinner a stockbroker who finds the charms of the south of France seductive.
He has travelled there to help settle his late uncle’s will, and finds that the call of a desk in a city office, long boozy lunches with fellow fat cats followed by champagne soaked evenings while gold coins are counted may not be the ultimate aim for his life.
Crowe (pictured) has shown he can do more than just swashbuckling – his portrayal of mathematician John Nash in a Beautiful Mind was clever and insightful, and in A Good Year he delivers more of the same. And although the film is entirely predictable from beginning to end, it is still fun to watch. His character, Skinner, is a pretty nasty piece of work, and when he gets wind of the death of Uncle Henry (Albert Finney) he is very interested in what the vineyards old Henry owned are worth.
He hasn’t spoken to his Uncle for more than 10 years but would like to get his paws on the old man’s land.
But Max soon changes his spots and remembers how much wit and wisdom Henry handed over to him during the good old days, and eventually feels some kind of loyalty to Henry and the world Henry inhabited.
But things are not as straightforward as they could be.
Another claimant shows up – an illegitimate daughter that could ruin it all for poor Max, then there is the fate of the two live-in caretakers for the house and lands who have been there for ever.
Good Year does not work as an intelligent love story, nor as a fable about how money isn’t really the be all and end all.
But with lovely locations and some solid performances, it provides some simple escapism.
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