Bottle Shock

And the award for 2007’s worst wigs goes to this awkward and plodding attempt to capture the wine comedy glory that was Sideways. Alan Rickman stars as Steven Spurrier, organizer of the great Paris blind wine tasting of 1976, an event that pitted the best French wines against a contingency of California winemakers. Rickman actually disappears for much of the film, as the story goes to vineyard owner Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman) and his hippie son (Chris Pine, the future Captain Kirk). Director Randall Miller’s film has moments of charm, but those are mostly occupied by Rickman, who doesn’t get enough screen time. Pullman’s performance is a mixture of good and terrible. He really can be the most inconsistent of actors. Pine, saddled with a dead possum-looking wig, doesn’t stand a chance because he looks too ridiculous. Rachael Taylor (who looks an awful lot like Blair from The Facts of Life) is likeable, as is Freddy Rodriguez as a wannabe winemaker, but it all adds up to something that’s a little too boring and predictable.