Please be aware that there are spoilers in this review!
I purchased The Vintner’s Luck because Keisher Castle-Hughes is in the cast – having seen her previously in some other films (Hey, Hey It’s Esther Blueburger, Whale Rider and Red Dog) that I had enjoyed. I knew nothing of the plot of The Vintner’s Luck, but having watched other films where I have known (some of) the cast but nothing of the plot and having been rewarded with enjoyable films, I was happy to do just that with this film, but there was my mistake.
Now to be fair, if I knew the plot of this film I may not have purchased the DVD. The main, but not only aspect of this film that I didn’t like was the need to have a belief like that of a five-year-old child that angels, complete with clichéd very large white feathered wings, exist. As I said though, my fault for not reading a synopsis. Just as disappointing for me was finding that most, if not all, of the dialogue had been recorded in post-production, giving a very unnatural sound to much of what was spoken.
On top of that, the plot, such as it was, was somewhat lightweight and repetitive. Yes there is some pleasant scenery in the film but such images have often been photographed much better in other films, for example the photography in The Return Of Martin Guerre shows rural, peasant France much more convincingly.
Keisha Castle-Hughes is an Oscar nominated actress, but sadly for me she was very much in a supporting role in The Vintner’s Luck. So all round, this was a very disappointing film for me.
I guess this is one for fans of angels and dubbed dialogue.
On the DVD you get:
The Vintner’s Luck (2:01)
Scene Selection
Set-up: 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS Surround 5.1
Optional English Subtitles for the hard of hearing.
It is a New Zealand and French co-production but the language is English only.
Customer reviews
Top reviews from other countries
andy
Only myself to blame
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2015Verified Purchase
G.S.
Disappointing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 December 2020Verified Purchase
B.M.
Beautifully filmed
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Hannah Rose
Ein Leben für den Wein ...
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MIR hat der Film gefallen...
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