Bottle Shock - A Movie Review

Wine is sunlight, held together by water.

Bottle Shock is a 2008 film. The story takes place in California in 1976 where the blind Paris wine tasting was set. Steven Spurrier, a wine steward arrives in Napa Valley to find the tastiest wines. He meets the town’s folk who learn the significance of wine.

Bottle Shock is the type of film that appeals to my culinary media delights. It swirls together the perfect blend of heart, humor, and cinematic appeal. While it is an appealing film, it left loose ends and needed more character development.

The film was cast well. The late Alan Rickman was the best part of Bottle Shock as Steven Spurrier, a wine enthusiast who takes his collection very seriously. Rickman added a lot of comical gimmicks to the role.

None of the characters have depth, falling flat. We don’t spend time getting to know them. The acting is great, but they weren’t given much direction with character backstories or relationships. Chris Pine is a good example, playing an intriguing character integral to the story. Bo is unsure of what he wants to do with his life and has a strained relationship with his father.

More credits include Bill Pullman, Denis Farina, Rachael Tyler, Freddy Rodriguez, and Bradley Whitford. They all play an assortment of characters, but the wine story is more important than them. The characters' problems are brushed over or solved too fast.

For example, Bo catches his best friend and crush cheating. There is a brief argument and fight, but it’s settled like nothing happened. Details like these would have impacted the film so wine wasn’t the main purpose. Whether it happened in the true story, subplots like these are important for the narrative.

One scene depicts a remarkable example of human kindness in a scene at the airport. Steven Spurrier needs to fly out with a collection of wine bottles. Spurrier is told that he can only board with one bottle, and everyone flying on the plane offers to carry one of the bottles. It’s an impactful scene, but they could have gone deeper to reflect human kindness.

Filmmakers shot the movie in stunning locations to compensate for the flat characters. Much of the filming was shot in Kunde Winery in Kenwood, California. The cinematography is beautiful, highlighting wine plantations. I went to one in California, but since I wasn’t legal to drink yet I didn’t appreciate it enough. I want to go back again.

Randall Miller chose to make the film authentic to the real story so he cast actual winemakers or people involved from the accounts. Jim Barrett, the owner of the Chateau Montelana appears as the vineyard owner. Miller demonstrates a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for winemaking.

Miller made the film too authentic instead of incorporating more fictional storytelling. The main message of Bottle Shock is to pursue what makes you happy. Steven Spurrier accomplishes his dreams, but what about the other characters? Bo never pursues his dreams, leaving his development ambiguous.

The ending was slow. At the film’s end, all we’re watching is an auction. There’s not much conflict and for those who know the turnouts of the story, it’s tedious. Adding more drama to the climax would have elevated the story.

Aside from these criticisms, Bottle Shock is a charming movie that appeals to wine enthusiasts. It’s engaging and develops an engaging story. Like Sideways (2004), I am glad I watched this movie now. I wouldn’t have acknowledged the message about preserving wine and its value. Sip a glass of wine while watching.