Yahoo News Uncorked review: Netflix's tale of black families leaves damaging stereotypes well behind
Uncorked on Netflix is a film about the road not taken for a twenty-something black man in Memphis. Despite his father's wishes for him to carry on the family restaurant business of smoked ribs and soul food, the main protagonist, Elijah (Mamoudou Athie), decides to enter the world of wine, preparing to become a sommelier.
The film, an introspective piece of arthouse fiction, opens with a juxtaposition between a black family restaurant and a winery – two contrasting, very different worlds.
The richness and texture of smoked ribs is countered with the richness of a full bodied merlot. The heavy thickness of smoke, then the heavy thickness of green glass bottles. The movie becomes a sensory experience of all sorts, not just the eyes.
In the restaurant, we have a fully black staff, headed by owner Louis (Courtney B. Vance), who's Elijah's father. Once introduced to the family, we finally meet the film's lead in a liquor store stocking wine, clearly knowledgeable and passionate.
Elijah relates varieties of wine to types of music, and becomes so immersed in this world that he realises he's late for the real world, and his job at the family business.
He's clearly out of place within the smoked ribs world of his family, which is warm, vibrant and colourful. This is exacerbated by the fact that Athie's portrayal is incredibly subdued, and in some instances, downright dull. Perhaps this choice was a reflection of his being bored with his current state of affairs.
As the movie progresses, Elijah becomes more alive through the art of wine – enthusiastic, uncorking his personality. Wine, as it turns out, has the ability to transport him to places where he physically can't go. Still, more exuberance overall for the things happening around him would have been much appreciated as a viewer.
The film has some nice notes (no pun intended), and offers refreshing breaks from stereotypical ways in which black families are typically presented in film.
In Uncorked, we see a third-generation family business, a woman with a collection of wigs due to her chemo, a black woman who despite being the daughter of a restaurant owner and chef, not only can't cook, but may as well put raisins in potato salad if she hasn't already, and a black family that raised just under four grand to fund a school semester in Paris.
It's a far cry from the tired and racist tropes that litter many movies, even to this day.
Where writer-director Prentice Penny fails, however, is on the directing side. The Insecure showrunner's feature film debut runs about 20 minutes too long, and it's full of lengthy transitions that feel like filler and scenes that don't propel the story forward.
However, at its core, Uncorked is a look into the inner workings of a complicated father/son relationship. The third act focuses heavily on how Louis and Elijah finally come to terms with their differences, while recognising the similar roads they had to travel.
With less bloat and a more seasoned director, this film would have hit more solidly. Niecy Nash (who plays Elijah's mother Sylvia) and Vance are definitely the highlights of this tale. Despite the pacing issues, Uncorked presents an atypical study into black families and character building, using a love of wine as a vehicle to resonate with audiences of all colours.
Uncorked is now available to watch on Netflix.
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