Uncorked (2009) starring Julie Benz, JoBeth Williams, Elliott Gould, Scott Elrod, Gattlin Griffith, David Andriole, Anne-Marie Johnson directed by David S. Cass Sr. Movie Review

Uncorked (2009)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Scott Elrod and Julie Benz in Uncorked (2009)

Not Fruity Enough

"Uncorked" technically falls into the category of romantic, drama but in truth belongs in a special category called romantic fluff. That isn't me being cruel because it describes this obvious little TV movie quite well; it's a romance which has little substance. It is also a TV movie which uses a formula used in many other TV movies as a career minded woman finds love away from the city but has to deal with what the heart wants over the brain. But whilst "Uncorked" is romantic fluff it is simple and simply entertaining, delivering warmth even if that does become cheesy at the same time.

High flying business woman Johnny Prentiss (Julie Benz - Saw V) has her life and career mapped out and whilst romance may not be great she is with the equally career minded Christopher (David Andriole). But her life gets turned upside down at a retreat for executives as not only does a deal fall through which means the company she works for is sold but she ends up finishing with Christopher. But then she meets Chef Andrew Browning (Scott Elrod) who takes Johnny to his family's vineyard a little way up from the resort where she meets his parents and his son. And not only does Johnny fall in love with the laid back life but also Andrew, so when her dream job is offered to her it is decision time.

JoBeth Williams, Elliott Gould and Gattlin Griffith in Uncorked (2009)

So here is the thing, as I already mentioned "Uncorked" is classed as a romantic drama yet there is minimal drama and minimal romance and really is fluff, familiar fluff. What I mean is we have this routine story of a career minded woman finding love when she least expected it and so has to make a decision between love and career. Now quite often this routine story is used in a ranch drama where we have the city girl return home to run the family business so having "Uncorked" seeing Johnny falling in love at a vineyard makes a slight change to the usual.

But that is what "Uncorked" is, simply usual and if you enjoy the romantic ranch dramas which often crop up as TV movies there is a good chance you will enjoy this. In fact as well as having a similar story it also has similar nice characters and bundles of charm. Although it has to be said that sometimes the charm becomes too forced and becomes cheesy, especially during a scene where Andrew's young son tells Johnny all about the wine making business.

But as a whole "Uncorked" works and that familiarity works in its favour as we have a simple storyline and simple characters we recognize. Talking of those simple characters well they are flat and none of them push the cast to really act. But to be honest any movie which features Elliott Gould isn't going to be bad and alongside him Julie Benz, JoBeth Williams and Scott Elrod all work well together.

What this all boils down to is that "Uncorked" is your average romantic drama which is a made for TV movie. Everything about it is familiar from characters to the story and whilst not original if you enjoy this simple sort of light romantic drama then it will entertain for 90 minutes or so.


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