jordan 13 The Vintner's Luck at TIFF 2009 Whale Ri

What follows is a mixy-uppy coming-of-age tale that is at times heart-breaking as characters suffer the slings and arrows of peasant life - Sobran marries, children die, root rot destroys crops, wars are fought. But Sobran's talents and work are rewarded as Xas' vines bear fruit and he makes a delicate and complex wine that gets noticed - and more importantly, gets bought by the local tavern, helping him and his family rise up.
The Vinter's Luck is Divinely Inspired... or is it?
Sobran obliges him by cutting off his wings so the angel can help bring in Sobran's (by now an old man) last vintage. How does Xas like being human, the Baroness wonders?
Sobran and the angel Xas meet annually in what at times seems like little more than a confusing sidebar. It's never quite clear whether the two are star-crossed lovers, mentor and pupil or master and servant. Viewers can be pretty sure Xas isn't just Sobran's conscience, because others can see him, too.
The film finds its legs with the mature relationship between Sobran and the Baroness Aurora de Valday, solidly played by the lovely Vera Farmiga who channels a young Faye Dunaway with every sculpted turn of her head. Upon her uncle's death, the Baroness runs the Chateau and hires Sobran as her winemaker. With him, over time, she learns the art of tasting, feeling and loving wine - and life. The most satisfying moments of the film are in the company of these two characters as they make and discuss wine, rise above their respective lots in life -- a peasant farmer becomes a respected wine-maker and one an un-married middle-aged woman, too smart for her own good, finds happiness and focus.
Vera Farmiga Shines in Role as the Baroness
The Vintner's Luck is a mixed bag of a film with an unusal story, and some lovely moments.
The Vintner's Luck, 2009Director Niki CaroStarring: Jérémie Renier, Gaspard Ulliel, Vera FarmigaRuntime 126 Minutes
The Vintner's Luck, in a special presentation at TIFF 2009, stars Jérémie Renier as Sobran Jodeau [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], a peasant farmer with the best palate in the district. With his father, he sells his grapes to the Chateau, but longs for a better life, a better bottle of wine and marriage to the girl of his dreams - Whale Rider's Keisha Castle-Hughes all grown up. Things don't look good for Sobran, who is told that wine-making is above his station and that his sweetheart is crazy - not suitable for marriage.
Like Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire, This Angel Wants to be a Man
Enter Xas [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], a brawny but sensitive angel (a bizarre role, well played by Gaspard Ulliel) who lands in Sobran's vines for no particular reason, but seems to bring with him a good luck streak. Xas gives Sobran some vines from his own garden, tells him to go forth and multiply (in more ways than one) and in return [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], asks Sobran only that he meet back every year, for the rest of his life. With not much to lose, Sobran agrees.
It turns out not all angels come from heaven... and Xas reveals that he fell from his station on high for his beliefs that a life worth living is full of pain as well as pleasure and that both are good. Not unlike Wim Wenders' angels in 1987's Wings of Desire, Xas is in love with all the messy complexities of being human and ultimately, wants to be one.
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It hurts more than he thought it would.

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