WINE COUNTRY: A Slightly Familiar, But Satisfying Blend

Wine Country, Amy Poehler’s feature directorial debut, ended up being mostly what I had anticipated after watching the trailer. In fact, and this is the err sometimes with these, there weren’t any real surprises when it came to the plot or tone, so the fact that I walked away still mostly entertained is a testament to these women’s star power.

The movie does what’s intended: there’s laughter (even if it’s not the sort you might expect from this SNL reunion), an abundance of touching moments, and an important contemplation on the bonds of friendships with a wonderful rapport from the cast. In other words: Not a bad way to spend your time.

A Common Setting, An Eclectic Cast

Long-time pals Abby (Amy Poehler), Catherine (Ana Gasteyer), Val (Paula Pell), Jenny (Emily Spivey) and Naomi (Maya Rudolph) gather for Rebecca’s (Rachel Dratch) 50th birthday. They decide to visit Wine Country, renting a home from Tammy (Tina Fey). All of these women worked together at a pizza place when they were young and have remained friends since. It’s been a while since they’ve been together, and so the celebration is as much a re-connection as a catharsis for the group.

These characters are all a little bit formulaic, following the same course as many others to have graced the screen before. That doesn’t take away from their performances, which successfully elevate the material. Each have their own problems going on, and as many do with the ones they love, they keep them in until they’re bursting at the seams. Abby’s recently lost her job and is putting everything in planning this trip, despite the fact that Rachel (whose marriage is not going well) doesn’t want things to be so controlled.

Naomi is a busy mother, dealing with her own medical scares, and Catherine is a workaholic, often feeling left out of this group’s previous adventures. Jenny is seemingly unhappy in all facets of her life, resigned to keeping to herself and not taking risks. Then there’s the charming Val, who is desperately seeing companionship and gets a crush on a young waitress/artist Jade (Maya Erskine).

There’s also Jason Schwartzman as Devon, a somewhat offbeat and not entirely fleshed out role, but he helps to interject a few laughs. Fey is a hardened, outspoken and independent woman who delivers her own round of laughs. I thought it was an intriguing point of the view for the actress, and I wish there had been more ways to integrate her into the story. Plus, Fey and Poehler together are always a winning combo. Paula Pell is especially charismatic on screen.

Funny, Not Hilarious; Meaningful, Not Profound

Some of my favorite moments are the lucid ones, like when the group starts singing a song and they all join in, or their organic conversations while they’re eating dinner. When they aren’t trying too hard to fumble through the trip or react to something absurd; just a group of fascinating women having fun together. It also makes me think of those people in your life that you’re comfortable with and can connect to in a moment, even if it’s a strange and unexpected one.

As Amy Poehler’s first feature outing I’m pleased with what she has done and she’s brought together a very talented group of middle-aged women. There’s a value to this cast and the intent of such a venture that shouldn’t be overlooked. The screenplay by Liz Cackowski and Emily Spivey (who also played Jenny) is one-part sentiment, one-part hilarity, and another- an inspiring insight into women friendships. The timing of the jokes works and make for a welcoming and relaxing symbiosis with this beautiful array of femininity.

When you take a trip to wine country, to Napa Valley, you expect the landscape to be beautiful, and I wish there had been more frames of the gorgeous exterior. There’s a reason they went here, and not somewhere closer, and it wasn’t just for the wine. I think it could have boded well to set the palette. What we do get to see is added to an already lustrous setting, as the group sets out to drink and reflect.

Which they do. A lot of their time is spent squabbling and drinking, with glimpses of revelation and purging. While occasionally lacking the raucous humor that you might expect or desire, it makes up for it in sincerity. I yearned for the picturesque imagery wrestling with these hilarious women making my stomach hurt from exertion, but it wasn’t that sort of movie. The chemistry is evident from the very beginning, and Wine Country makes it fun and insightful to see these women amalgamate together in a new chapter of their lives.

Conclusion: Wine Country

Wine Country may not be the movie you expect, but it is pleasant enough reminder to not take life too seriously, let your friends support you, and that sometimes… you need some R&R. This is a relationship-oriented, character driven film that works to composite friendship. Does it fade? Can we remain important to one another as we get older, and do we need those sorts of bonds? If you have a group of friends this’ll make you want to get together, and if you don’t you’ll be wishing you did by the end. Poehler and company sure make it appealing.

What did you think? Was it what you were expecting? Let us know in the comments below!

Wine Country is currently streaming on Netflix