That moment when you tried to make another Sideways or Bridesmaids and ended up making another Grown Ups. Thankful to avoid theater scrutiny, Wine Country found Netflix some weeks ago and Netflix generously suggested it to the ten of us who might be entertained by a bevy of middle-aged white women. Guess what? We weren’t let down. Sure, we had low expectations, but Wine Country successfully leaped that row of matchbooks without breaking a quarter-inch heel.
Rebecca (Rachel Dratch) is turning 50 this week. Poor Rachel, she looked 50 when she was 30. Hence, a roving punchline of co-ed middle-aged SNL alums decided to gather and do the co-ed middle-aged equivalent of Vegas, baby! Turns out it’s a weekend in Napa full of fight songs, fashion wrongs, and spurned bongs. Director Amy Poehler as “Abby” tapped once again into her uptight Leslie Knope persona. That’s OK; we like Leslie Knope, I think. And along for the reunion came Catherine (Ana Gasteyer), Naomi (Maya Rudolph), Val (Paula Pell), and Jenny (Emily Spivey).
I know what you’re thinking, but be nice; these women are funny. And truth be told, while I think the entire idiocy of Grown Ups has long since ceased earning laughs, the sextet in question here gave me several chuckles and a guffaw. And in Napa, chuckles are fine with a table wine, but guffaws go better with Pinot Grigio.
This is a film in which the ladies wear two or three separate sets of matching tees exactly made for the occasion, but they know as well as we do how silly this all is. Like when Catherine encourages the group to indulge in the Molly she’s acquired for the occasion, but Abby balks because it’s not on the schedule, and several other women question whether Molly goes with daily medication. Most recreational drugs are not meant to mix with arthritis pills, y’all. My favorite moment was when the lone lesbian of the group, Val, follows her –we’re gonna be generous and say– “heart” to an art show hosted by her would-be squeeze, a millennial waitress. Every piece of “art” in her portfolio has a subject of Fran Drescher as “The Nanny.”
It’s not exactly “Who’s On First?” for obvious laughs, but in its own way, this indulgence in highbrow mockery is one of my favorite jokes of 2019.
Unfortunately, Wine Country does play like Grown Ups, which means it feels like middle aged people trying to get laughs. There are many jokes devoted to getting old and whining about it. The difference is Amy Poehler & co. seemed to have a much better sense of their target audience. If you’re under 40, don’t bother with this one. You won’t like it and you probably won’t get it. But for a film which never tries to do anything but appeal to people who live for Tina Fey cameos, well, mission accomplished.
♪Out in the vineyard
I’m caught quite off-guard
Whenever some hack has an art show
I don’t need no drinks
To say, “This one stinks …
Do you take Apple pay or Venmo?”
Don’t sigh
Don’t wave “good-bye”
It’s only mid-age wasteland♫
Rated R,103 Minutes
Director: Amy Poehler
Writer: Liz Cackowski, Emily Spivey
Genre: Mid-age wasteland
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: The Poehler/Fey Group
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Millenials
♪ Parody Inspired by “Baba O’Riley”
