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Renowned for their collaboration on the iconic 2000 film “Gladiator,” director Ridley Scott and actor Russell Crowe ventured into new territory six years later with the romantic comedy “A Good Year.” Unfortunately, this foray into romance didn’t quite hit the mark. While Scott excels in directing high-stakes epics, the film’s contrived plot suggests romantic comedies are not his forte.
20th Century Fox
“A Good Year” centers on Max Skinner, portrayed by Crowe, who inherits a vineyard in Provence from his late uncle. Eager to sell the property and return to his financial career in London, Max’s plans are disrupted when Christie (played by Abbie Cornish) arrives, claiming to be his uncle’s daughter. Under French law, this would make her the rightful owner. While this premise might suggest a complex family drama, the film instead shifts focus to a romance between Max and Fanny (Marion Cotillard), a local café owner he nearly collides with early in the film.
Beyond the strained romantic narrative, Max is entangled in his own professional turmoil, facing a suspension from stock trading and maneuvering the firing of a fellow trader. Though the plot leans toward drama, the forced romantic storyline struggles to find its footing, with both Crowe and Scott stepping out of their typical elements.
Despite its uneven plot, “A Good Year” garnered a mixed reception. While critics on Rotten Tomatoes rated it a low 26%, audiences were more forgiving, giving it a 66% approval. Many viewers appreciated the picturesque French countryside setting, which added a visually appealing backdrop for the unfolding romance. However, professional critics were less impressed, noting Crowe’s struggle with comedic elements and critiquing the film’s pacing and lackluster plot twists. Although its ending might not rank among the worst in cinematic history, it leaves much to be desired.
The film attempts to conclude with the classic trope of a man discovering love and life’s true meaning. However, this resolution falls flat as Max chooses to abandon his career for life in France solely to be with Fanny, without any personal growth or desire to engage with his new surroundings. His decision appears more like a predictable romantic gesture dictated by genre conventions than an authentic transformation, especially since Max’s character remains largely unlikable, leaving the vineyard’s responsibilities to Christie and Fanny.
Audiences liked A Good Year despite its bad ending
20th Century Fox
Despite the outlandish plot, viewers generally enjoyed “A Good Year” — the film has a 66% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, way higher than the damning 26% critical rating. People enjoyed the French countryside setting, which creates the perfect atmosphere for love and is very pretty on screen. What’s more, amateur reviews note that it’s nice to see mega stars in a rom-com, even if it is one of Russell Crowe’s worst films. Pro critics, on the other hand, stated that Crowe doesn’t do a great job with the comedy elements. Many felt the film dragged, that the plot twists didn’t help propel the story, and that the ending was executed poorly. It might not be among the worst movie endings of all time, but it still leaves a lot to be desired.
While “A Good Year” tries to play on the popular ending trope of a man finding love and realizing what he really wants in life, it ultimately doesn’t work because, while Max quits his job and moves to France to be with Fanny, his only purpose is to be with Fanny. He doesn’t want to help with the vineyard or find a career that suits him better — he just wants to spend all of his time on Fanny, leaving the work of running the vineyard to her and Christie. Because Max is a fairly unlikable character to begin with, it just comes across as an ending dictated by the genre rather than an endearing grand gesture.
