WIDOW CLICQUOT (2024)

Genre: Drama/Biography
Director: Thomas Napper
Cast: Haley Bennett, Tom Sturridge, Sam Riley, Natasha O'Keeffe, Ben Miles, Paul Rhys, Anson Boon, Cecily Cleeve
Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scene and Some Nudity)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 14 November 2024

Synopsis: After her husband's untimely death, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot flouts convention by assuming the reins of the fledgling wine business they had nurtured together. Steering the company through dizzying political and financial reversals, she defies her critics and revolutionizes the champagne industry to become one of the world's first great businesswomen.

Movie Review:

Unless you enjoy the finer things in life, you probably never heard of Veuve Clicquot (Veuve means widow by the way), one of the finest champagne houses from France. Second unit director turned director Thomas Napper helmed this biography about the founder, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin in which the story is adapted from “The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It” by Tilar J. Mazzeo.

At the age of 27, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot (Haley Bennett) took over the champagne business after the death of her husband, Francois (Tom Sturridge). Francois’ father, Philippe (Ben Miles) on the other hand wants to sell the vines to fellow competitor, Moët but Barbe-Nicole refuses, insisting that the business is willed to her by her late husband. At the end she is given a year to prove herself.

The champagne house is in financial hardship and the Napoleonic embargoes make things even harder. However, Barbe-Nicole has an alliance in the form of wine distributor, Louis Bohne (Sam Riley). With her new technique in creating a new line of champagne and Bohne’s witty salesmanship, there might be hope for Barbe-Nicole to revive the flagging business after all.

Told in a non-linear fashion, Widow Clicquot gears towards the portrayal of a strong woman who withstands an oppressive society to become the Grande Dame of Champagne. Haley Bennett is stunning, commanding the screen with an equal amount of determination, beauty and eloquence since she is in practically every scene of this drama. The movie skilfully showcases the capability of a woman in late 1700s France with the men surrounding her liked hungry vultures awaiting for their share of the meat.

Instead of solely focusing the story on Barbe-Nicole rise in the industry, the drama relies heavily on repeated flashbacks detailing Francois’ romanticism and his slow descend into madness which resulted in his death possibly from suicide although it was listed officially as typhoid. The champagne business is definitely an interesting one. It’s a pity that Napper and screenwriter Erin Dignam choses to ignore the technical aspects of it and simply gives audiences a mere glimpse into the production process.

Besides Bennett, there’s also Sam Riley who turns in a fine performance as Francois’ best friend and Barbe-Nicole’s secret lover in the later part of their business relationship. There isn’t much of a payoff in their romance noting that it’s scandalicious at that time for a widow to be acquitted with a man. An erupt court scene involving Barbe-Nicole being accused of being unfit to run the business comes across more as a filler to end the movie on a high note.

For all its flaws, Widow Clicquot is a beautiful biography to sit through. There’s a mix of feminism, romance, tragedy and fine period elements thrown in. If it’s giving you some Joe Wright vibes, yes indeed it’s produced by Wright and Bennett happens to be his partner off-screen as well. Clearly, this is a movie that deserved more screen time given the brief 88 minutes runtime feels unsatisfactory to a certain extent. Perhaps the filmmakers are hinting us to go out and try out some yellow-label Veuve Clicquo.

Movie Rating:

(Widow Clicquot is not exactly sparkling material but it’s fizzy enough to quench your thirst)

Review by Linus Tee