A Good Year

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, A Good Year is available in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the UK on Disney Plus right now. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. With 1,652 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Russell Crowe is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, A Good Year is worth clearing space for. The jokes in A Good Year land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. Failed London banker Max Skinner inherits his uncle's vineyard in Provence, where he spent many childhood holidays. Upon his arrival, he meets a woman from California who tells Max she is his long-lost cousin and that the property is hers. Russell Crowe and Albert Finney lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2006. The timing in A Good Year is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

A Good Year is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Russell Crowe's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.