Tom Wozniczka as Henri Cassell and Minka Kelly as Sydney Price in “Champagne Problems.”
(Mika Cotellón / Netflix)
Stuck at home this Christmas, but dreaming of France? Then pour yourself a nice glass of champagne, grab a comfy blanket, and watch Kelly in this effervescent elopement that I want to retitle “Minka in Paris.”
Kelly plays Sydney Price, an ambitious American executive looking to acquire Chateau Cassell, a prestigious champagne house in the French countryside. The night before her big presentation, she visits an illuminated bookstore and meets the cute Henri Cassell (Tom Wozniczka), a soulful poet who invites her to walk through the City of Light with him. One thing leads to another, and lo and behold, she discovers that her family owns the vineyard she wants to claim for her company.
Cue the shenanigans. The hurt feelings. The loving glances. Luxury interiors that look like they were designed by Nancy Meyers. Although Kelly is not as funny as Cameron Diaz in “The Holiday,” she is a radiant and relatable protagonist. His co-star, Sean Amsing, provides plenty of comic relief as Roberto, a bon vivant who says things like, “Everything I know about France I learned from 'Ratatouille.'”
I imagine hearing that joke at a party. Come to think of it, that's what the movie feels like: a fun, fizzy party, and we're all on the guest list.
