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Parents' Guide to

Bottle Shock

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Comedy about wine rivalry blends fun, heart.

Movie PG-13 2008 110 minutes
Bottle Shock Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

It's 1976, and French wine reigns supreme ... until peppery Englishman Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) decides to prop up falling sales in his Paris wine store by holding a "blind" taste test between wines of the established French and the upstart California wine industries. Meanwhile, in the Napa and Sonoma valleys, Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman) and his neighbors are struggling to gain financing and credibility for their product in the flowering international wine market. Stormy family and romantic intrigues -- along with a "crushing" blow to the grapes at the very last moment -- almost defeat the Californians, but they make their way to Paris for the historic challenge.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

BOTTLE SHOCK gets off to a slow start, attempting to add some fictional spice to the true story the movie is based on by introducing a beautiful female intern to the mix. It goes on to expand the flinty relationship between the father-son owners of Chateau Montelena (a diamond in the crown of the California wineries), and then raises the stakes higher and higher. What's real seems obvious and works best.

By the time we get to the contest, it doesn't disappoint. Nor does the outcome -- but it doesn't surprise, either. Still, the wine country setting is beautiful, the actors have fun with their robust roles, and the movie's appreciation of the wine is contagious.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the father-son relationship at the core of the movie. What does Bo do to earn his father's respect? How do the filmmakers show the changes in this important relationship? What does this movie have in common with other films that tell the story of an underdog going up against a strong opponent? Who do you think its target audience is?

Movie Details

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