A Good Year
I was intrigued by this 'seems to be ultimate chick flick' movie, because I thought it just might have reminiscences of the beautiful book 'A year in Provence'.
Ok, yes, it was a bit of a chick flick. You pretty much knew the ending when it started. The outline was pretty obvious. Big time prick in London's trade market inherits vineyard in Provence from an uncle. Prick goes down to Provence with intention of selling the domain but sees his life transform (and himself in the process) as memories from the childhood he spent there come rushing back to him. Oh, and he falls in love with a beautiful french woman during all that, of course.
The performances were good and the story was heartwarming once you decide to go along with it and not sigh at every little thing that might ressemble a cliché. It's overall quite a good film.
But I have to say, this might be one of the most beautiful film I have ever seen in my life. The location, the sets, the light. Oh, the light. In Provence, I kid you not, every SINGLE shot looks like a painting. It's absolutely stunning. If you hate the story, doesn't matter, you will be glued to the screen anyway. It looks that good. And the cinematographer makes it so that everything shot in London is blue, gray, cold and uninviting and that Provence looks like heaven. It's yellow and green and warm and like it's dusk all day. The contrast is obvious and deliberate, but it does not take away the sheer beauty of every single frame.
I could watch this film again on mute.
That's how much I loved looking at it.