Friday, November 10, 2006

(It was) A (Very) Good Year

Oh it really shouldn't have been, but I have to admit I had a huge hoot of a time going to the flicks on Wednesday with the lovely Helen Lisette to wallow in the daft and slated film A Good Year.

It has had some stinky reviews, although I also initially came across some more tolerant ones as well; most of them focus on not feeling that Russell Crowe has a grasp of comedy. That seems awful harsh. It's not a Marx brothers film, or a Jack Lemon/Walter Matthau classic; it's not up to screwball standards, and it can't rival Shaun of the Dead. But taken on its own terms, by heck I did laugh. And heaven knows there are enough 'comedies' which have induced in me Not One Giggle.

Okay, watching it with Helen has its own frisson of hilarity-inducement (she has a certain L'amour fou for the brusque Australian), but even accounting for that it still made me laugh.

I really can't say fairer than that. Stereotypes in every direction; some very ropey dialogue; the usual Peter Mayle 'Englishman abroad' brushstrokes of character and place: check, check and check. But it was lush, entertaining, and had a happy ending. Shucks, it was even 241 Wednesday and this time I got it right (unlike last time). I had a blast!

2 comments:

JoeinVegas said...

Quite a movie goer and reviewer. I hope some of these roll around through our Vegas theatres.

JoeinVegas said...

Oh, bad news - you've got competition in Canada.
http://www.beyondelsewhere.ca/2006/11/10/death-by-rainbow/