A GOOD YEAR - **

A Good Year is a light comedy about a materially-obsessed workoholic who rediscovers what's really important in life, with help from the earthy locals of the picturesque village he finds himself trapped in. If this synopsis leads you to expect a movie free of any surprises, try this one on for size: Ridley Scott directed it, and the star is Russell Crowe.

These two are known for their ambitious projects and peerless craft. Maybe they were attracted to this piece of fluff just to make a movie they didn't have too care about too much, and they're satisfied that they didn't fuck it up completely. Crowe is as good as can be in the stereotyped role of a top London investment banker who inherits a down-at-heel chateau and vineyard in Provence from the gourmand uncle who raised him. The servants and local townspeople seem to exist only to impart vital life lessons about taking it easy and drinking more, and the obligatory love interest materializes before long. The self-absorbed millionaire learns to pamper himself more, which counts as wisdom in a movie like this, and everyone goes home happy. As featherweight escapism full of pretty sights, it passes, but so does a postcard.