Bottle Shock

Play trailer

2:23

Bottle Shock

PG-13

2008

1h 50m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

48%

Tomatometer

122 Reviews

59%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Paris-based wine expert Steven Spurrier heads to California in search of cheap wine that he can use for a blind taste test in the French capital. Stumbling upon the Napa Valley, the stuck-up Englishman is shocked to discover a winery turning out top-notch Chardonnay. Determined to make a name for himself, he sets about getting the booze back to Paris.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Bottle Shock fails to properly utilize the inspiring true tale at its core, settling instead for an ordinary, plodding account.

Read Critics Reviews

David Stratton

The Australian

Apr 10, 2009

2.5/5

As a rather strenuous attempt at a feel-good movie, Bottle Shock falls a long way short of the mark.

Go to Full Review

Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

Apr 3, 2009

3.5/5

It's not in the same league as Sideways but it has a fragrant sense of the beauty of wine and winemaking, not just the drinking.

Go to Full Review

Jim Schembri

The Age (Australia)

Mar 27, 2009

3.5/5

Rickman is priceless as the self-parodying wine snob, stealing every scene he is in by continually pulling the rug from under himself.

Go to Full Review

Felicia Feaster

Charleston City Paper

Jan 27, 2020

[A]necdotally interesting, but artistically underwhelming.

Go to Full Review

Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Nov 7, 2019

[K]ick back and relax and take a sip of BOTTLE SHOCK. It will linger on your palette long after the curtain falls.

Go to Full Review

Nikki Baughan

Roll Credits

Oct 31, 2019

4/5

[A] film that acknowledges the passion, dedication and commitment of those owner/growers who keep our wine cellars, cupboards and fridges stocked and, to that end, it's worth a tipple.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Gene B

@GeneBrissie 4 days ago

A pale reflection of a movie like A Good Year. Cast is good, including the late, great Alan Rickman, but the humor is lowbrow. Avoid unless you have nothing better to watch.

See more

Bruce E

@RT62730390 Jul 26, 2026

I cant believe this movie has such a low rating. It is absolutely fantastic. I loved it.

See more

Grady H.

@Grady Feb 7, 2026

This is a great movie! Forget that Ii is not 100 or 60 per cent correct! What movie is? Watch the movie! There’s no action p o r n! It’s cute! A classic clash of cultures!

See more

Karl N

@RT02655090 Dec 24, 2025

Can’t believe the rating. This was a very enjoyable movie. Good characters, well acted, fun story.

See more

Nathan J.

@NathanDirector Oct 30, 2025

Rating: 6.5/10 Bottle Shock is a charming, sunny underdog story with a fantastic cast and a wonderful true story. The film is a light, enjoyable dramedy with a great classic rock soundtrack. Highlights - Compelling True Story: The "Judgment of Paris" story is a perfect setup for a crowd-pleasing underdog movie. - Fantastic Cast: Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman, and Chris Pine deliver standout performances. - Beautiful Cinematography: The film captures the sun-drenched beauty of Napa Valley. Criticisms - Formulaic Screenplay: The plot is predictable and relies on tired clichés. - Underdeveloped Characters: Supporting characters feel generic and underdeveloped. Verdict Bottle Shock is a charming, enjoyable piece of feel-good entertainment. It's a perfect, light, and sunny film to watch with a good glass of wine.

See more

Melissa R.

@kickpigeon Jul 4, 2025

Entertaining story and pretty scenery with a couple of great actors. A few really dumb scenes drag it down, but far from sinking the ship.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Randall Miller

Director

Alan Rickman

Steven Spurrier

Chris Pine

Bo Barrett

Bill Pullman

Jim Barrett

Rachael Taylor

Sam

Freddy Rodríguez

Gustavo

21

36%

66%

21

Watchlist

Deal

3%

38%

Deal

Watchlist

Me and Orson Welles

86%

61%

Me and Orson Welles

Watchlist

Honeydripper

69%

58%

Honeydripper

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Honeydripper

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Bottle Shock: Trailer 1

2:23

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Paris-based wine expert Steven Spurrier heads to California in search of cheap wine that he can use for a blind taste test in the French capital. Stumbling upon the Napa Valley, the stuck-up Englishman is shocked to discover a winery turning out top-notch Chardonnay. Determined to make a name for himself, he sets about getting the booze back to Paris.

Director: Randall Miller
Producer: J. Todd Harris, Brenda Lhormer, Marc Toberoff, Randall Miller, Jody Savin, Marc Lhormer
Screenwriter: Jody Savin, Randall Miller, Ross Schwartz
Distributor: Freestyle Releasing
Production Co: Zin Haze Productions, Unclaimed Freight, Intellectual Properties Worldwide (I), Shocking Bottle
Rating: PG-13 (Brief Strong Language|A Scene of Drug Use|Some Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 6, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 29, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.0M
Runtime: 1h 50m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings