Russell Crowe (Max Skinner), Albert Finney (Uncle Henry), Marion Cotillard (Fanny Chenal), Abbie Cornish (Christie Roberts), Didier Bourdon (Francis Duflot), Isabelle Candelier (Ludivine Duflot), Freddie Highmore (Young Max Skinner), Tom Hollander (Charlie Willis), Rafe Spall (Kenny), Richard Coyle (Amis), Archie Panjabi (Gemma)

Plot Outline

Max Skinner is a highly successful investment expert (Russell Crowe). When his estranged uncle dies, Max returns to the vineyard of his childhood. His intention at first is to put the past behind him and sell the vineyard as quickly as possible. But instead, he discovers a part of himself that he had lost since he had last been there…

Marion's Role

She plays Fanny, the local cafe-owner. She is careful not to get hurt (again) and is therefore cautious in getting closer to Max. On the other hand she is very charming and out-going by nature, so…. Marion certainly is everything one wishes for a film’s love interest – beautiful, charming, alluring, mysterious etc – but not much more since her character is somewhat limited by the script.

External Links

• News Updates
• Official Site
• IMDb
• Buy DVD or Blu-ray (France)
• Buy DVD or Blu-ray (US)
• Buy DVD or Blu-ray (UK)

Trivia

• Filming Locations: Bonnieux; Chateau la Canorgue; Gordes; Rail Station, Avignon; Marseille Provence airport (France), Bloomberg Offices, Finsbury S

• During Max’s date with Fanny, several of the clips playing in the background are from the French film Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot.
• According to director/producer Ridley Scott, every scene of the film was shot within eight minutes of his home in Provence, where he has been living for 15 years.
• Screenplay author Marc Klein visited Provence in 2004, met with Peter Mayle, and spent almost a year researching the region and the wines.
• Fanny’s cafe was shot in a Gordes restaurant, with designer Sonja Klaus decorating it with items bought from second-hand shops considering the character would have done the same.

Quotes from Reviews

There are moments when the enchanting Cotillard resembles a Gallic, dark-haired Reese Witherspoon.
• Variety

Sultry bistro server Fanny Chenal (the ravishing Marion Cotillard) is the most irritated, but she still enchants Max.
• St. Peterburg Times

My Opinion

I love well-made romantic comedies. However, more often than not I’m disappointed. Same here. The premise, beautiful French countryside and Marion Cotillard sounded good enough to me. Although I did enjoy the scenery and Marion was charming and beautiful I never really felt the story and the characters. Maybe me not being a ‘fan’ of Russel Crowe didn’t help either. Anyway, it was a lovely film but I don’t think I’ll be watching it a 2nd time any time soon. Of course if you like to hear Marion speak English with that lovely French accent of hers this is the film to watch.