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Mondovino
ThinkFilm Inc.


7.6

based on 26 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 11 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

FILM:

Signs & Wonders

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for brief pin-up nudity

Starring Michael Broadbent, Hubert de Montille, Aime Guibert, Jonathan Nossiter, Robert Parker, Michel Rolland, and Neal Rosenthal

An epic exploration into the world of wine, Mondovino is a celebration of wine in its infinite variety that was filmed across three continents, in five languages, over a three-year period. (ThinkFilm)

GENRE(S):	Documentary
WRITTEN BY:	Jonathan Nossiter
DIRECTED BY:	Jonathan Nossiter
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: July 12, 2005 Theatrical: March 23, 2005
RUNNING TIME:	131 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	Argentina / France / Italy / USA
LANGUAGE(S):	English / French / Italian / Spanish / Portuguese (with English subtitles)

Nominated, Golden Palm, 2004 Cannes Film Festival

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

The highest praise I can give to Mondovino is that it makes you want to sample every vintage it shows you.

Variety David Rooney

Consistently fascinating material provides an uncommonly eloquent, provocative statement against globalization that's sure to stimulate thinking audiences.

Los Angeles Times Kevin Crust

An entertaining film that is neither stuffy nor pretentious.

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

This cagey and compelling 2004 documentary looks at the world of wine, but it's actually a nuanced, provocative piece of journalism about globalization and its discontents.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Despite its visual restlessness and its dogs, Mondovino is a fascinating film.

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

It's nonetheless a fascinating, thirst-inspiring, thought-provoking journey. Just one request for the lengthier version: fewer shots of dogs' swimsuit areas, please.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jennie Punter

A sprawling personal journey, filled with an array of fascinating characters, through the world of wine.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

There's no question where filmmaker Jonathan Nossiter's sympathy lies, but he makes his case leisurely, without hysteria and with much playful screen time devoted to the various interviewees' pet dogs.

Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington

It's such a knowledgeable work and so pleasantly obsessed with its subject that it will interest even audiences whose attraction to wine is only casual.

Premiere Aaron Hillis

The film's ambitiously eye-opening hypothesis, colorful characters, genuine compassion, and unexpected humor will make for a great vintage in years to come.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

An intoxicating attack on the homogenization of wines around the world - a "Fahrenheit 9/11" for the oneophile set.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

If "Sideways" made you curious about vino, this fierce, funny and challenging doc opens up a world worth debating.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

The real subject, though, is how globalization fosters a homogeneous, "same-old-stuff" conformity that molds almost everything on the planet into an ever-shrinking number of shapes, sizes, and varieties.

TV Guide Ken Fox

Hugely entertaining, globe-trotting documentary.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

For all its pervasive irritations and lack of discipline, succeeds in using below-the-belt tactics to get its message across, especially for those unschooled in the rarified world of oenophilia.

The Hollywood Reporter Duane Byrge

An insightful and affectionate glimpse into the behind-the-scenes struggles of modern-day winemaking.

Village Voice J. Hoberman

Nossiter has an eye for stray details and a knack for relaxing his subjects- although the scene with the naked guy trampling his own grapes may make you sorry that you ever gave up drinking Ripple.

LA Weekly Brendan Bernhard

Will get you thinking about wine, and what is and isn't important about it.

Washington Post Ann Hornaday

A lively, engrossing documentary

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

The movie feels incomplete and uncentered. It's like a grand magazine profile that's all reportage and absolutely no prose.

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

If you have a serious interest in wine and the patience for this kind of rangy, undisciplined filmmaking, you'll learn something. But you'll have more fun at a winetasting.

The New York Times Dana Stevens

Smart, sincere and sloppy film.

The New Republic Stanley Kauffmann

Mondovino is repetitious. The version that is being shown here runs 131 minutes and would be more effective with about twenty minutes of condensation.

Washington Post Scott Vogel

A picnic wine, if you will -- more conversation-starter than collector's item.

San Francisco Chronicle Ruthe Stein

Overly long and not especially enlightening film.

Austin Chronicle Kimberley Jones

As is, it's simply too much information crammed too haphazardly into a running time that at times borders on interminable.

The average user rating for this movie is 7.6 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Flavio V. gave it a10:
I love the elegance and sincerity in showing people being seduced by the forces of marketing and power. Or being rejecting it. In both cases it is beautiful to have de courage to evolve or to conserve tradition. Mondovino is about seduction. The dog scene is great.

Helena gave it a5:
Introduces some interesting questions in a fascinating topic but does not do much with them. I agree with Geoff -the cameraman needs a tripod. And what is with all the dog shots? Annoying. Overall this movie was a missed opportunity to tackle some interesting issues in the world of wine with depth and intelligence.

Geoff S. gave it a6:
The man needs a tripod. The unnecessary camera movement of panning, zooming, then panning again takes away from the worthy subject matter. And, that's a shame. Perhaps this jerkiness was mean to give the film a sense of raw, unpolished edginess - but we just saw it on a cinema screen and found it simply irritating.

don k. gave it a4:
Too long and loud - headache time.

Santiago R. gave it a10:
Bieng an avid wine drinker and appretiator, i was rather disdurbed by this film. I don't know if i will ever be able to drink another wine from California again, especially one by Mondavi. This film was a true testiment to what documentaries should be, raw and not one sided. an excellent film, if i may say so.. bravo.

Sandra O gave it a9:
A genuine and inteligent glimpse into the world of wine. It's fantastic as it makes you think for a long time and changes your convictions about wines.

martel h gave it an8:
Brought a bottle of good wine with us to the theatre. so as they're talking wine, we're drinking and enjoying the movie all the more.

Mondovino ThinkFilm Inc.

Mondovino
ThinkFilm Inc.