(* out of 5)
Wine Country is a new, Netflix Original film and also Amy Poehler's first, major directorial debut. A group of friends embark on a wine tasting trip through Napa Valley to celebrate their friend's 50th birthday, and as you can predict, they all end up fighting with each other.
While I can't pinpoint the particular word for this genre, it falls into your typical, dry dramedy that features a star-studded cast. Another film I can think of to compare this to is Friends with Money. The laughs aren't big enough and the tears aren't powerful enough. I felt like I watched a bunch of drunk, middle-aged women bantering about their marriages for over an hour. As usual, Maya Rudolph seems to be the only comedic relief and the highlight of the film. Unfortunately, if this movie didn't have this cast that it did, it may have never been made.
A stronger focus on the the wine experience and maybe more interactions with the winery employees would have developed the story better. The few interactions the characters have with the sommeliers are intriguing, as well as the hosts of the AirBnB, played by Tina Fey and Jason Schwartzman. Maybe it was too realistic to be entertaining? Maybe this film would be better as a stage play?
My verdict on this film is to go ahead and skip it; it feels like something that you've already seen. Poehler has worked hard in the industry and I hope to see future films from her that have a few more laughs.
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