Directed by: Mark Steven Johnson
Written by: Mark Steven Johnson
Starring: Minka Kelly, Tom Wozniczka, Thibault de Montalembert, Sean Amsing, Flula Borg
Rating: [3/5]
While pure numbers and financial figures should ultimately determine the best business deal for a company, when operating with something family-run, emotions play a larger role. In these instances the business means more than just some entity but rather something meaningful, especially when passed down from multiple generations. This ultimately determines the central business decision happening in Champagne Problems and who will own a French vineyard at the end.
Finally receiving an opportunity in closing a big acquisition for her company, Sydney (Minka Kelly) sets off to Paris right before Christmas to agree a deal for Champagne Château from Hugo Cassell. While in Paris, strictly on business, she meets a man named Henri (Tom Wozniczka) who promises to show her the true Paris. After a night of romance, she later learns he happens to be the son and heir of the very company she’s trying to acquire.
The greatest thing about Champagne Problems is that it knows it’s a silly film. It seeks to present some faux-serious business acquisition talks, but in reality it’s just a mixture of goofy comedy and a love story at the center of it. The best combination one could want from these types of films, and I suppose, having all of this transpire between the beautiful nights of Paris and a French vineyard helps. Everyone remains on the same page, and it makes for something entertaining enough to put on.
With all that said, there are some elements that do cause of a bit of an eye roll in this film, and most of this transpires in the scenes in Paris between Sydney and Henri. Specifically, the moment where Henri first gets acquainted with our American protagonist and promised to show her the sights of Paris and not the typical fare tourists would indulge in visiting. Certainly something appealing for Sydney, but I cannot help but laugh that where he takes her consists of a Ferris wheel to have a great view of the Eiffel Tower and to get her macarons, as if these are not the most touristy things one could do in Paris. Way to go out there Henri, but these scenes serve a larger purpose, which involves establishing the chemistry between our central couple, and that mostly works.
As we get to the meeting with Cassell, the plot truly takes off as Sydney learns the full identity of Henri, and she meets her competition for this bid of Château Cassell. Here she meets Brigitte (Astrid Whettnall), Otto (Flula Borg), and Roberto (Sean Amsing), who each represent the nation they come from in very comedic ways. No one quite does it like Otto, who takes every comedic German stereotype and exemplifies it to a somewhat ridiculous degree. From the descriptions of Krampus and how much he refers to sausages, the man truly sought to show just how German he could be.
Probably the best element of this film is just how little it becomes about business and rather the relationships built between these characters. We certainly have the romance between Sydney and Henri, but the dynamic built between these characters, especially the side comedic relief characters was heartwarming. When it came to business presentations, it became comically unwatchable, which further shows the truth of this film knowing exactly what it’s doing. At no point does Sydney ever propose anything of substance here but she’s just pretty and kind, which ultimately proves to be the winning formula for what this story wants to present and what will impress Cassell the most.
As far as Christmas films go, one can do much worse than Champagne Problems, which brings together some fun characters to take care of some “business,” but truly exists to enjoy the scenery of both Paris and the French countryside. We have just enough from the narrative to where we can just have fun with these silly characters as Cassell ultimately decides who he will sell his longstanding family vineyard to. Minka Kelly does well portraying Minka Kelly here as it’s what the film needs, and she does a great job on delivering on that front. Hard to dislike a movie like this unless someone truly dislikes the French, then I can’t really help you there.
Films with Josh 
