Underdog stories make some of the best movies. Bottle Shock, a dramedy based on a true story about a California winery, proves that point. In this well-cast movie, the Chateau Montelena vineyard is about to go out of business until a peculiar British wine connoisseur shows up hoping to prove California wines can’t compete with those made by the French.

There are almost as many wineries in Napa Valley as grapes on a vine. It’s 1976 and many of those wineries are experiencing troubles. Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman), owner of Chateau Montelena and up to his neck in wine barrels and red ink, is about to sign for the third loan on his dream. Every day brings new angst as Jim thinks about going to his ex-wife’s husband to beg for his real job back. There’s also the problem of Bo (Chris Pine), Jim’s lackadaisical son who finds the local bar more enticing than pruning a grapevine.

Bo has grown up at Montelena and does help out, but he shows up when he wants to. Which after a late night at the bar with friend and co-worker Gustavo (Freddy Rodriguez) and new intern Sam (Rachael Taylor), is usually after most of the work is done.

Over in Paris, British expatriate Steven Spurrier’s (Alan Rickman) Paris wine shop has seen better days. His best customer happens to be his friend Maurice (Dennis Farina), who has lots of advice but no money, so he’s always ready to taste one of Steven’s wines and offer critiques. When Maurice suggests his friend introduce California wines in his shop, Steven scoffs at the idea. Quicker than he can pop a cork, however, Steven has set up a prestigious blind testing event in France.

By the time the Brit goes tooling around Napa and tasting one bottle of wine after another, things at Chateau Montelena are at their worst. Jim decides to let Gustavo go when he discovers the young man and his father (Miguel Sandoval) have been cultivating their own vintage wine. Worse yet, Jim has discovered his latest batch of chardonnay has turned brown in the bottles, sealing his destiny to lose the winery. Bo, who has a crush on Sam, has an eye-opening realization after she engages in a romantic tryst with Gustavo.

It’s the characters in this underdog story who shoulder the responsibility of making the film work, and Bottle Shock has an excellent cast. More than just a name in films such as Scary Movie 4, Pullman actually pulls off a heartfelt performance as a troubled man facing disasters both as a businessman and father. This is his best work in a long time.

Except for his hair that needs a pair of scissors in every scene, Pine (Smokin’ Aces) is acceptable as a slacker who faces some real life lessons. Rachael Taylor (Transformers) is pretty and bouncy as Sam -- which is probably how this role was written, for the character doesn’t undergo any growth. Rodriguez brings some depth to the film as Gustavo makes several discoveries about himself while delving into the sacrifices his family has made to become established among tough competition.

Rickman (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) brings enjoyment to almost every film he stars in. In Bottle Shock, we laugh at Steven’s tart personality, bottled-up outlook on life, and effervescent zeal when faced with new discoveries.

In addition to the beautiful cinematography by Michael J. Ozier, the story has appeal because of its historical significance. The real life event in 1976 changed the world opinion on wine, and in fact two Napa Valley bottles of the vintage that won the blind testing are in the Smithsonian. Notes at the end of Bottle Shock also let moviegoers know what happened to the real people characterized in the film.

Created, released and distributed by Freestyle Releasing, Bottle Shock won’t get the big marketing push most feature films receive, but it’s an enjoyable movie sure to entertain and worthy of seeing, especially for Rickman and Pullman’s performances.

(Released by Freestyle Releasing and rated “PG-13” for brief strong language, some sexual content and a scene of drug use.)

Review also posted at www.reviewexpress.com .