I can’t deny that part of the reason I started watching Uncorked is because I knew it would be set in Paris, France at least some of the time. I imagined that this fact may just help me get over the cancellation of my Spring 2020 travel plans. I think it probably helped a tiny bit in the end. A very tiny little bit.

Luckily for me, the main reason I watched writer / director Prentice Penny’s drama was to see a young man’s (Mammoudou Athie) journey as he tries to balance his personal aspirations of becoming a master sommelier with his father’s (Courtney B. Vance) expectations of him.

From Vance, Athie, Matt McGorry and  Sasha Compére, everyone in Uncorked performed well. I had a good time watching Penny’s movie especially after the slower pace near the beginning subsided. I found the structure of the story refreshing, specifically as it pertains to where it ends up, versus where my years of film viewing experience led me to believe it would go.

As for specific moments that will stay with me, the first is the main family dinner scene which was funny, relatable and well choreographed. The others are pretty much every scenes that features Nash, a wonderful actor whose presence onscreen has a way of putting me at ease.

Overall, I enjoyed the film’s depictions of friendship and family; all of which included a healthy injection of humour. If like myself you like stories of people working hard to make their dreams come true – however unexpected and challenging the journey, I say give Uncorked a chance. It may just give you that extra push to keep working hard towards your own goals; whether you want to become a master sommelier or something else entirely.

Happy Film Loving

G