Back to Burgundy (2017)

A film that is 30% too long, rather prosaic and lacking in close-ups or actors who could hold them, combined with a very ordinary script and ploddingly literal screenplay. Phew! So you guessed I was underwhelmed. And there were times I wondered if I was watching a coroporate video on how to make wine ( sorry, French wine), its clearly better than that made elsewhere in the world, as they were keen to impress on us. Then compare this 'made for TV' effort to some of the wonderfully poetic movies that have come out of France..... and you wonder why they bothered. I can think of better ways to spend $10m.

Making wine and drama. Jean (Pio Marmaï) left his family home ten years ago. When father falls ill, he returns and reunites with his sister Juliette (Ana Girardot) and brother Jérémie (François Civil), to sort out stuff between them. Ah… families. Their problems and conflicts seem very important for themselves, but are often difficult to understand for bystanders. This is also true for writer-director Cédric Klapisch's latest, slow-burning but quite nice drama about the importance of family and the power of forgiving. The short summary feels sugary, and Klapisch does aim for feel-good, but the movie does not try to manipulate with audience in any tasteless way. It is actually realistic depiction of well-behaved and intelligent family's life, where everybody has their problems but these are not solved in overtly dramatic way often expected from family sagas. This subtle approach doesn't make for very engaging drama, but the feel-good factor is important part of the movie. If you care to invest yourself in these characters' lives, you will probably feel like a part of their group in their end. Which is the best thing this kind of movie can ask for. One can also learn quite a lot about making and appreciating wine. 113 minutes makes it rather long watch, it's not a standout work but quietly confident and satisfying. I don't like international and also Estonian title „Back to Burgundy" („Tagasi Burgundiasse") which is not as eloquent as the original – directly translated „What Links Us" („Mis meid seob"). But you would have to watch the movie to care about this, I guess.

The two previous reviewers really liked this. I thought it was a pretty average made-for-TV type movie.It tells the story of two brothers and a sister who inherit a vineyard in the Burgundy region of France. They have to pay steep inheritance taxes on it, and the two brothers have complications on their lives. All this gets worked out by the end of the movie amid a lot of shots of very beautiful Burgundy vineyards - and one very desolate supposedly Australian but actually Spanish one for contrast. The three leads are attractive young folk, and there's even a little sex - basically one scene, just where you would expect it.It's pretty much a paint by the numbers movie, pleasant but unremarkable.

It is an excellent movie that made me experience a lot of feelings. Definitely, needs to be watched by people. All the interactions between the main characters make the public feel really involved with the movie. The director really did an effort in applying the best technology for the elaboration of the movie.