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Bottle Shock
Freestyle Releasing

Bottle Shock reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 56 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
5.4 out of 10
based on 26 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 11 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for brief strong language, some sexual content and a scene of drug use

Starring Alan Rickman, Chris Pine, Bill Pullman, Rachael Taylor, Freddy Rodriguez, Dennis Farina, Eliza Dushku, and Bradley Whitford

There are certain moments in history when America has proven itself to the world: Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon or the US Men's Hockey team beating the Soviet Union in the 1970 Olympics. One such moment, however, never got the recognition it deserved: In 1976, a small American winery bested the exalted French wines of the time and sent the wine industry into a tizzy--putting California wines on the map for good. Based on the true story, Bottle Shock chronicles the events leading up to the famous "Judgment of Paris" tastings, told through the lives of father and son, Jim and Bo Barrett, as well as British wine shop owner, Steven Spurrier. Little did Steven and Jim realize that they were both on a course that would change the history of wine forever. (Freestyle Releasing)


GENRE(S): Drama  
WRITTEN BY: Lannette Pabon (story)
Ross Schwartz (& story)
Jody Savin (& story)
Randall Miller (& story)
 
DIRECTED BY: Randall Miller  
RELEASE DATE: Theatrical: August 6, 2008 
RUNNING TIME: 110 minutes, Color 
ORIGIN: USA 

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

88
Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
Bottle Shock is more than the story. It is also about people who love their work, care about it with passion and talk about it with knowledge.
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80
The Hollywood Reporter Stephen Farber
This intelligent, affectionate, beautifully acted movie gives crowd-pleasers a good name.
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75
USA Today Claudia Puig
It's the kind of feel-good movie whose resolution is evident from the start, being based as it is on a true story. But that doesn't make the journey any less interesting.
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75
TV Guide Maitland McDonagh
A charming comedy-drama that's surprising true to the events that inspired it.
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75
New York Post Lou Lumenick
Beautifully shot by Michael J. Ozier, the dominating taste in Bottle Shock is Rickman's beautiful performance as a snob - a snob who is secretly open to being delightfully surprised.
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75
Rolling Stone Peter Travers
It's a winner. And not just for oenophiles. Director Randall Miller, who co-wrote the script with his wife Jody Savin, keeps the plot brimming with spirit and wit.
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75
Boston Globe Ty Burr
Low budget, self-distributed, awkwardly charming, it's the kind of midrange Hollywood entertainment that's supposed to be extinct in this modern age. It makes you want to support your local vintner and your local moviemaker.
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70
LA Weekly Scott Foundas
Just around the halfway point, something unexpected happens -- the movie actually gets good. You can chalk that up to the delightful Alan Rickman.
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70
Washington Post Stephen Hunter
Whatta movie: booze, unhappy French people, Alan Rickman and really cool pickup trucks.
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70
Variety Robert Koehler
Wine lovers won't just sip but guzzle a lot of this down, and the same effect that sun-dappled days and sex in California had on "Sideways" operates here.
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67
Portland Oregonian Marc Mohan
Bottle Shock never quite connects. And considering the more recent transformation of Napa, the movie's triumphant ending rings a bit false.
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60
Film Threat K.J. Doughton
I found myself in a tug-of-war between enjoying Bottle Shock as entertaining fluff, and thinking that there might be a more serious, gritty, complicated story lurking behind the grab-ass soap opera.
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60
Slate Dana Stevens
So why did I feel such affection for this scruffy, hokey little movie? Maybe it's the same logic that applies to wine-drinking itself: Sure, a great claret would be ideal, but an OK rosé is better than washing down your dinner with water.
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58
The Onion (A.V. Club) Tasha Robinson
Trouble is, it's too rambling and digressive to feel focused, yet too calculating to feel as observational and natural as a good Altman flick.
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50
Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips
Wine may be sunlight held together by water, as Galileo said, but Bottle Shock is held together only by Alan Rickman.
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50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jason McBride
For all of its intermittent, crowd-pleasing charm, oenophiles (and cinephiles, for that matter) might be better off putting their money toward a good bottle of Robert Mondavi.
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50
The New York Times A.O. Scott
Bottle Shock is unable to figure out what kind of movie it wants to be, and flops around between madcap comedy and rousing drama. To borrow a wine-snob term of art, it lacks structure.
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50
Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea
A great story - and a true one, more or less - Bottle Shock nonetheless fails to deliver much in the way of entertainment.
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50
Los Angeles Times Michael Ordona
The soul of the grape, that thing that elevates a wine to greatness, proves here as elusive on screen as in the bottle.
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50
Chicago Reader Andrea Gronvall
Light-bodied comedy.
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50
Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez
Bottle Shock often feels out of place on the big screen, but it would probably play a lot better as a weekly half-hour TV show.
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50
Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow
Bottle Shock wastes that intriguing bit of history and some seductive Napa Valley settings on a bland script that's part period piece, part underdog fable.
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40
Village Voice Robert Wilonsky
The movie should have been more like Rickman: sparkling and light, with just a hint of acid. Instead, it's a huge gulp of vinegar.
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40
New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman
Unfortunately, Miller never finds the right balance, so while there are some sweet notes, the pileup of clichés ultimately leaves a slightly acrid aftertaste.
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30
Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten
Stuff the cork back in: This wine movie was sold before its time.
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25
San Francisco Chronicle Reyhan Harmanci
This schlocky period piece doesn't do the pioneering Northern Californians justice. The script is overwritten to the point of parody.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this movie is 5.4 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

B A. gave it a2:
Terrible pacing and poor direction ruin what could have been a very lively historically based film. Confusing narrative and ridiculous dialogue hammer in the final nails.

Catherine gave it a2:
I agree with Michael S. I understand they had to stay close to the facts, but the love story between the guy with the bad wig and the blonde was kind of offensive, we were supposed to be relieved that she ended up with him instead of the Hispanic guy, who was a much more interesting and attractive actor. He also appeared to have the best wine, because the girl took one sip and had sex with him. So why didn't his wine win? Fakey looking set up on the hill for that sex scene, by the way. And Bill Pullman is a terrible actor, I'm so tired of watching him narrow his eyes and look sideways all the time. Speaking of Sideways -- go rent that again. You'll have much more fun.

Michael S. gave it a2:
This movie should be called "Chris Pine's Hair is Distracting" or "This Is How You Make a Bad Indie Movie". Too long, poorly edited, lazily written and just plain stupid. So much could have been done with the core story, involving the Rickman and Pullman characters (the best of the bunch), but for some reason the screenwriter chose to center things on a really dopey love story about hot white people with distracting hairstyles. A real disappointment. Rickman, Pullman and the cinematography were the only redeeming qualities.

Jeffery G. gave it a10:
All in all a delightful little film with warm tones of humor and just the right sharpness of wit to create a delicate yet full flavored cinematic experience that pleases the emotional palate and simultaneously satisfies the intellect. Lovingly melds the rough-hewn origins of California's viticulture, the polished formality of Continental savoir faire and straight ahead Milwaukee persistence into a convincing dramedy that resonates with the ring of truth. A bit long and somewhat soft in the middle, but not so much as to detract from the pleasure of the viewing, Bottle Shock is an excellent accompaniment to a dinner alfresco at one of Manhattan's many Upper West Side outdoor café options.

Ann B. gave it a5:
I was looking forward to this movie because of the story line....Loved the shots of Napa and Paris. The hideous wig Bo's character wore was a distraction every time he appeared in a scene. I was hoping he'd clean up for Paris, but it wasn't to be. Like another commenter, I felt like the movie just plodded along.

Kat M. gave it a4:
Disappointing. Boring. Lots of faux platitudes to wine ("it is sunlight!"). I looked at my watch constantly. It is a great premise, and Rickman and Farina do their best to keep it interesting, while the shots of California vineyards and peppy, folksy soundtrack do set a pleasant mood. But there's TOO much time spent driving around, looking at the grapes, and every time some tension is built, it is rapidly broken. It only gets 4 points because of the attractiveness of the scenery, and Eliza Dushku. And I actually LOVE wine and the stories that go with them! Your ticket money would be better spent purchasing a bottle of Yellow Tail.

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