As the temperature drops and daylight hours shorten, Netflix has once again begun its annual deluge of Christmas content, though their latest offering Champagne Problems arrives with notably less sparkle than its name suggests.
Another Forgettable Festive Entry
The streaming giant continues its tradition of releasing holiday movies well before the festive season properly begins, with Champagne Problems joining a growing list of disposable Christmas confections. Directed by Mark Steven Johnson, whose previous Netflix romance Love in the Villa proved equally forgettable, this French-set romance follows the predictable patterns of the genre while failing to deliver anything memorable.
The film introduces us to Sydney Price, played by Minka Kelly, a career-focused private equity executive whose life revolves around work. When her demanding boss sends her to France to acquire a legacy champagne brand over Christmas, her sister extracts a promise that she'll take at least one evening to experience Paris for herself.
Predictable Plot Mechanics
What follows unfolds with the mechanical precision of a factory-produced Christmas ornament. Sydney's obligatory meet-cute occurs in an impossibly quaint Parisian bookstore where she encounters Tom Wozniczka as Henri Cassell, the charming heir to the very champagne vineyard she's been sent to acquire.
The conflict emerges as Henri resents his father's decision to sell the family business while Sydney genuinely believes her company's intentions are honourable. The romantic tension stems from their opposing economic viewpoints, with Sydney's corporate background clashing with Henri's family legacy values.
Supporting characters include Sydney's colleague Ryan, played by Xavier Samuel, who demonstrates more chemistry with Kelly in their limited scenes than the central romantic pairing manages throughout the entire film. The acquisition competitors are reduced to national stereotypes: a severe French grand dame, a stern German businessman, and an unhinged gay billionaire.
Serviceable But Uninspired Performances
Minka Kelly, still best known for her role in Friday Night Lights, delivers a competent but superficial performance, portraying a career woman whose ambition has seemingly erased any distinctive personality. Her romantic chemistry with Tom Wozniczka remains tepid at best, with the French actor providing the expected dose of European charm but little emotional depth.
The film's visual elements contribute to its artificial feel, with below-average CGI snow blanketing Paris in unconvincing winter wonderland aesthetics. The romance develops through expected beats – initial resistance, growing attraction, inevitable conflict – without ever generating genuine warmth or believable connection between the leads.
Another Disposable Netflix Christmas
Champagne Problems ultimately joins the middle tier of Netflix's holiday offerings – neither memorably terrible nor surprisingly good. The humour falls flat, the romance proves inoffensive but uninspiring, and the happy ending arrives with predictable inevitability.
For viewers seeking undemanding background viewing during the festive season, Champagne Problems might provide temporary distraction. But like cheap sparkling wine, the experience proves fleeting and ultimately unsatisfying, disappearing from memory almost as quickly as the credits roll.
Champagne Problems is now available to stream on Netflix, joining the platform's extensive collection of seasonal content that prioritises quantity over quality in their annual Christmas movie output.
