Director Sir Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe have crafted quite a different film since their last successful GLADIATOR.  Much lighter in spirit but heavier on atmosphere and setting, A GOOD YEAR based on the novel “A Year in Provence” by Peter Maylle is a romance story with some pointers on life.

London investment banker, Max Skinner (Russell Crowe) travels to Provence, France to sell the vineyard he inherited from his late uncle (Albert Finney).  But by doing this, he will destroy the soul of the only man that cared for him.  That is the moral of the tale – that Max will come to his senses.  And wed a French beauty (Marion Coutilard) in the process.

If all this sounds terribly trite, A GOOD YEAR more than makes up for it by a display of charm that only France can offer.  The sun soaked Provence countryside, the café restaurants and even the hustle bustle of the London trading office provide a good enough distraction.  A few humorous insights add to the guilty pleasures.  In one scene, an obnoxious American couple ordering and incorrectly pronouncing the dish, Salade Nicoise is told off to go Avignon for McDonald’s or Marseilles for Fish ‘n’ Chips.

Crowe is quite charismatic in his role as the wheeling dealing Max.  Tom Hollander is pretty much wasted as his best friend as are most of the other cast including Finney.  The true star of the film is the French scenery.

Running close to 2 hours, Scott, though slick in his direction, takes his time to tell his tale.  There is no rush and the events flow just like the smooth pouring of wine.  Still, the fact that the highly successful broker Max Skinner giving up his fame and success for a stubborn French girl who he had just met is difficult to take in.  In real life, such a character would without doubt sell the estate and continue in his philandering ways.