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A few reasons why this film bombed so badly

posted 8 years ago by coolslowhand
4 replies | jump to latest

I found this to be a good and enjoyable film, but it really bombed in the US Box Office. I think there are a few reasons why:

(1) Rich Man problems The lead character is ridiculously wealthy, and is conflicted about if he should retire from his investment job to a beautiful chateau in Southern France. Seriously? That's the "conflict" of this film? This is something rich people or people heading toward retirement can get into - whether it's time to retire and enjoy "The good life." But for the average person, this is not a very compelling story

(2) The Lady --- Attractive, engaging, charming, fiery, stubborn, but someone who seems very promiscuous and attainable. Actually, she has a lot of baggage, and it always seems like he can have her if he wants to stay, so there's no real suspense or story there, just a matter of how it will play out. It's a common female fantasy - man quits career and moves primarily to be with you, but it doesn't ring true here.

(3) A movie in Europe with an Australian lead making lazy stereotypes about US Tourists. US Tourists have a bad reputation, as do Russian, German, and particularly British Tourists. (and a host of others) They stereotype everyone in this movie, including the French. So this shouldn't really be "offensive." But it comes across as a little too snobbish to many i've talked with, fitting in with the "rich man problems" already mentioned, and doesn't appeal to blue collar people.

Here is the truth: A segment of the elite class in the US has a fantasy about retiring to southern france and going into the wine business. For some, this is paradise. But this is not the average person's fantasy, and, with the above issues, this movie isn't really "in their wheelhouse"

Anyone agree?

[–] louiseculmer 8 years ago

I thought the point of the story was that he had become a shallow and selfish person, unable to appreciate his uncle, or love, or anything, and that while staying in France he learnt how to enjoy life and appreciate things again. there have been plenty of other films with rich heroes - a man can be rich and still interesting.

how is the girl promiscuous and attainable? the local men have evidently not found her so, in fact max is told that he has become the town hero 'for making fanny Chanel show her ass." I don't think Max moves just to be with Fanny - he has fallen in love with france as well.

One of the main characters in the film is an attractive, charming, intelligent American girl. Surely a brief appearance by a couple of unattrqctive american characters is relatively unimportant?

Why does a film have to be about someone's personal fantasy in order to be appealing? i can't think of many films that end with the characters doing something i would want to do personally - i don't watch films to see people do things I do, but to see people do things thwt are different.

[–] huwdj 7 years ago

Not really. But to be honest I simply don't believe there is an American mass market cinema audience for this kind of film, especially when it doesn't have any American stars. Be interesting to know what kind of audience it found through TV channels. For me it's the kind of film that might grow an audience over time.
Does make me wonder what the audience would have been like if they'd relocated the story to New York and Napa valley and cast Americans?

[–] truther 7 years ago

I agree about the rich man problem issue -- it's hard to root for a wealthy investment banker who might have to give that up for a vineyard in the south of France.

But it's also sort of an . . . odd film. It's oddly cut, with an odd soundtrack, and some odd characters. And for half the movie Crowe acts almost like the village idiot. He prances around in this oddly exaggerated Charlie Chaplin-esque walking style, with too short pants and a clownish hairstyle, looking less like a finance guy and more like a schmuck.

You buy egg roll!

[–] louiseculmer 7 years ago

the point of the film is that he has become selfish and shallow and uninterested in anything but making money. Going to stay in France he rediscovers that other things are important, he comes to appreciate living. seeing him change is what makes the story interesting.