Positives:

🍷 Great cast. Praise the heavens for talents like Courtney B. Vance and Niecy Nash because without them, I would’ve logged out of the group chat at the 20-minute mark. ✌🏾 😊

🍷 The opening credits gave me cool, nostalgic “It Takes Two” intro vibes– juxtaposing the two different worlds (Southern BBQ prep and winemaking) of the main character Elijah’s (played by Mamoudou Athie) story to balance his interests outside of the family business without ruffling feathers.

🍷 Solid soundtrack—Memphis-themed, and lit-ting-ton. I dig. I dig.

🍷 Oh, and dark-hued Black couples. 🔥 🔥 🔥 Lovely to see, and we love to see it. #thanksPrentice #thanksNetflix

 

Problematic areas:

🍷 The scene transitions were too sudden, and didn’t allow the audience enough time to reflect on emotions built during the prior scene. For example, during the climax, Elijah meets with the Master Sommelier instructor after finishing his exam, and he returns to the auditorium where his father is waiting to hear the result. Is shawty a master sommelier, or nah? But as soon as we hear the result, the scene cuts away. It felt cheap. Like a letdown. The main takeaway from that moment would have been more interesting if the audience could sit with his results a little longer—let is sizzle a bit—to capture Elijah’s emotion in that culminating moment.

🍷 The screenplay was wonky. If not for a few good actors, some of the writing would’ve fell flat. And don’t get me wrong, a lot of it did indeed fall. Autumn. The awkwardness in its silence was deafening. And not like that Issa Rae Insecure–esque “awkward” where you expect it because it’s so “on brand.” Some of this felt like a dental explorer scraping against the lingual surfaces of tooth #8. 😖 😖 😖 #elcringe

🍷 I think Prentice Penny went a little too “film school” on a few shots in Paris. Like when Harvard (played by Matt McGorry’s fine ass) (yes, I think he’s fine, bye) was telling Elijah he was dipping back to the States—the intro to that conversation didn’t really need to be a full-blown, dramatic ass, slow motion zoom-in… but go off, Prentice. I could be wrong, but I thought zooming in and out was used to creatively fixate or expand on a shot for a reason that isn’t specifically expressed in the words or actions of a character’s performance. In that scene, it felt forced.

🍷 One-note characters—y’all, I am so fatigued. Je suis si fatigué. I am so tired of the “funny, buffoonish cousin” role in almost every romance, romantic comedy, comedy, drama, and the like. If I see another Lil’ Rel Howery trope in a movie FUBU, I will scream. I mean, damn. Retire it, please.

🍷 Yo, this could be a Mister Fantastic-level stretch, but I feel like the screenplay struggled because there didn’t seem to be a real antagonist in the story except Elijah’s pride. I mean, I was on his dad’s side. Pops extended an olive branch by building a bar in the new restaurant for Elijah to flex the sommelier muscle. Like, I felt like pops was trying to be supportive even after Elijah basically told him he was above the family restaurant life. Also, Athie’s acting felt reactionary and unnatural during the drama with his pops, and even during his interactions with his girlfriend Tanya, played by Sasha Comperé. It was distracting, and took me out of the groove of the film.

 

In conclusion..

This film’s screenplay is unique.

The pursuit of passion for young Black man wanting more than the status quo for his future, and studying to be a sommelier is no joke, and a great story. I appreciate this kind of “coming-of-age” tale. Hoping to see more screenplays like this in the mainstream.

 

This film was written and directed by Prentice Penny. Claps for that. 

I appreciated a couple gems, like the editing/directing of the study group scene showing a grieving Elijah trying to focus while he describes the wine. The glimpses of his main supporter flickering throughout that sequence was quite awesome. But the film was overwhelmed with pushing for the avant-garde, “film school” shots, especially in Paris, that really didn’t add to the themes conveyed through the writing/acting.

 

This film was distributed by Netflix.

I applaud their initiatives to tell Black and brown stories for the world to see. Media is slowly beginning to understand that Black people are not a monolith. Stop trying to set us to a default. It is impossible—there’s just too much damn range. And Black people and POCs are not the same thing. Our successes are recognized in a diversity of ways, including studying wine in regions of France, running a successful business, and other trill shit. 😄