Summary
This review was originally part of our coverage for the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin was married at 20 to Francois, the son of a wine-making family.
He was also a unit director on Wright’s underratedAnna Karenina.
Image via TIFF
Instead,the message it sluggishly tries to teach us is one you might expect.
It’s not a true lie, but it also robs the film of some of its nuance.
Napper doesn’t seem to fully grasp that the champagne has become the least interesting part of his film.
A young widow takes over her late husband’s struggling wine business, determined to transform it into a champagne empire. Navigating societal expectations and business challenges, she pioneers new techniques and defies conventions, becoming a trailblazer in the male-dominated industry and changing the world of champagne forever.
Haley Bennett is a marvel as Barbe-Nicole as she captures a wide range of subtle emotions.
Francois is implied to have some mental health issues and their marriage has immense highs and also plummeting lows.
Bennett doesn’t shy away from the painful emotions of mourning.
However,what works inWidow Clicquotis what matters: the woman at the center of the story.
Widow Clicquotis now available to stream on VOD in the U.S.
WATCH ON VOD
Image via Vertical
Image via Vertical
