This watered-down model of the story of Madame Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, generally known as the grande dame of champagne, is all syrup and no astringency. Haley Bennett wafts prettily via the movie because the younger widow of the inheritor to the Clicquot winery. Tom Sturridge, showing in assorted flashbacks, acts largely along with his poetically tousled hair as her passionate and unpredictable late husband, François. And Sam Riley is upstaged by his dashing assortment of flouncy scarves as wine exporter Louis Bohne.
Primarily based on the bestselling biographical ebook by Tilar J Mazzeo, , directed by Thomas Napper, leans closely on lush, picture-postcard pictures of the French countryside: the champagne area’s tourism board will little question be delighted. However for all of the stirring proto-feminist messaging, this can be a curiously uninvolving piece of storytelling.
