Comments on: Truth and fiction: Ross Schwartz, screenwriter of Bottle Shock, the movie

By: canvas stevens

canvas stevens — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 09:13:54 +0000

check out these compelling interviews w/ Adam The Wine Guy and Ross Schwartz..

By: » 2005 Château Bonnet

» 2005 Château Bonnet — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:51:00 +0000

[...] blogger Dr. Vino recently interviewed the writer, and provides some insight on the fact and fiction in this [...]

By: Dylan

Dylan — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:55:49 +0000

What an interesting world. A script was turned down because it would cost too little to make? If the idea was a winner and coming in low-budget was the only reason, that’s like being upset you’re getting gold at half price.

By: Gretchen Roberts

Gretchen Roberts — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:03:40 +0000

Oh, and I LOVE Alan Rickman and would have seen the movie regardless of whether or not I drink wine, just because he was in it.

By: Gretchen Roberts

Gretchen Roberts — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:03:06 +0000

I think some of you are missing the fact that the audience for this movie was a mass, general audience, not us core group of smart and knowledgeable wine geeks (of which Ross is one). When you’re writing for the general public vs. a specialized audience, a lot of the details that would have made the movie more interesting (for us) get lost in the effort to make it palatable for many.

Someone earlier compared the movie to Charles Shaw. My thought is, 2 Buck Chuck gets people interested in wine. Some of them move up and on to better bottles. If Bottle Shock gets people interested in wine and wine history, then any cheesy bits can be forgiven in my book.

By: Thom Calabrese

Thom Calabrese — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:31:33 +0000

I saw the movie never expecting Citizen Kane. It was funny, I thought Alan Rickman was a riot!.
My only complaint was no Mike Grgich. This having been explained by him asking to be removed.
Some of it was a little cheesy but it’s entertainment. I got what I expected, I was entertained.

By: Mari

Mari — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:08:14 +0000

If Bottle Shock were a wine it would be Charles Shaw.
Check out my review at: http://tastingroomconfidential.blogspot.com/2008/08/shocked-bottle.html

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:36:44 +0000

Hi Lanette,

I apologize for not pointing out that you also had a writing credit. But please note that I did credit you with the idea in the third paragraph.

Best,

By: Jen

Jen — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:31:22 +0000

I’m sorry, but I didn’t even find the movie entertaining. The “love story” was ridiculous, the women in the movie were portrayed as idiots, Spurrier was portrayed as a buffoon (and half the time he seemed French not English)and the story surrounding the wine and the importance of the tasting to California being taking seriously in the wine world was completely lost.

There was more boxing/fighting time between father and son Barrett than there was anything to do with wine. I only watched it through to the end because I kept waiting for it to get better. In the end, I thought it was a waste of time and I thought it could have been really, really well done. Oh well.

By: Ross Schwartz

Ross Schwartz — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:15:04 +0000

I was going to stay out of this, but I do think I want to respond to some of the points. As to parts of the movie you felt were cheesy, let me say that I wasn’t, in the end, the sole writer and leave it at that. The movie is entertainmant. Most of the reviews describe it as a fun ride. As to the minimization of Mike Grgich, I have to agree. My script certainly didn’t do that. It was a change, although out of my control, that I regret.

By: Michael Bottigliero

Michael Bottigliero — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:23:00 +0000

I can respect the fact Mr. Schwartz wanted to create an entertaining script, but the fact that it is cheesy and inaccurate discredit the movie. For those of you looking for more accuracy, especially in regard to the REAL wine maker- Mike Grgich, check out this post:

http://windycitywineguy.com/2008/09/05/bottle-shock-boycott/

By: Kerry

Kerry — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:57:48 +0000

Very nice write up Tyler! After a visit to Grgich I wondered why elements of the story were left out – but the backstory is explained well here. I appreciated the movie more after Bill Ward (columnist for Star Tribune)added that for him the take-away message was to escape to somewhere beautiful (California wine country) in the middle of the Minnesota winter (when the film was released).

By: karenp

karenp — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:41:06 +0000

Agreed – entertaining but very cheesy. I understand that the masses probably don’t care about the subtleties of a wine competition but there could have been more suspense built into the script.

By: Gary "Iron" Chevsky

Gary "Iron" Chevsky — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:56:33 +0000

Wine people I know were quite unhappy with the trivialization of wine in Bottle Shock. I thought it was entertaining but cheesy. Nowhere near as good as Sideways. Still it is good to have “Bottle Shock” out there to inspire the public – and I appreciate the movie for that. Almost seems like it could have made a better musical, though

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:56:06 +0000

Yes, Tyler, how DARE you leave Lannette out of the post. Especially when she is one of four people with Story By writing credit, according to IMDB. Won’t someone think of Jody Savin and Randall Miller??

And how dare you leave off the gaffer and best boy? (Ira Boyd and Michael Best, respectively.) How awesome that Michael Best is Best Boy. His name is his occupation. I wonder if the aforementioned Randall Miller is actually a miller? Why didn’t you research that before posting?

How dare you?!