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London-based Investment expert Max Skinner (Crowe) visits Province to sell a small vineyard he has inherited from his late uncle. As Max reluctantly settles into what ultimately becomes an intoxicating new chapter in his life, he encounters a beautiful California woman who also lays claim to the property.

For those of you desperate for a romantic comedy during this season of chainsaw horror and Santa vs. Jack Frost flicks, here’s one that takes place in France’s beautiful wine country. There’s just one little problem. No actually, there are several problems. Let’s start with the first one – its star. The night before I saw the 60 Minutes interview with Mr. Crowe – or what could best be described as damage control. Russell Crowe is a superb actor and has chosen some great roles (L.A. Confidential, Cinderella Man, Master and Commander, A Beautiful Mind), but his gangster-like bullying off camera has not ingratiated the actor to American audiences. Years ago, Demi Moore attempted to play Hester Prim in The Scarlet Letter. This was the definitive miscasting. In roles before and after, she bombarded viewers with most every inch of her physique and displayed a vocabulary much like that of Howard Stern. People couldn’t accept her in a prim and proper role. She has evidenced in her roles and magazine covers that she doesn’t do prim and proper. Same goes for the phone-throwing hot-head Russell Crowe. It’s difficult to accept him in a light-hearted romantic comedy. Though I admit he has very good timing, there’s more to romantic comedy than a quick wit. He’s one of those actors that brings his personal baggage to a role. That works when you’re playing a rogue cop or a down on his luck pugilist, but not so much when he tries to play cultured.

Sadly, there’s no real arc to his role or a convincing one to the film. Oh, he’s a self-centered, money-is-all city boy who learns about love and the pros of living on a Procencial vineyard rather than continue to be a wheeler dealer (especially when you can leave that occupation with a huge bonus from your employer), but I was not convinced that he was now a better person. Just a very lucky one. (He gets a bunch of money, a picturesque estate and the prettiest girl in the South of France.)

The movie starts out slowly, somewhat imitating Under The Tuscan Sun, only without Diane Lane’s charming narration. We do get some great shots of the local scenery (both the landscape and Mr. Crowe’s two female costars are lovely), but Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Alien, Kingdom of Heaven) seems lost in this less fierce genre.

I will concede, however, that the film begins to gain momentum in the second half as we get to know other characters and finally become absorbed in the story. But this is no thanks to Mr. Crowe, who is badly miscast and seems disconnected with the other players.

Distributor: 20th Century Fox