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Netflix’s new release “Wine Country” stars comedians Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph and more. It tells the story about a  group of friends who met in the 90’s while working in Chicago as waitresses at a pizza parlor named Antonio’s.

In this film the friends take a trip to Napa to celebrate their friend Rebecca (Rachel Dratch) 50th birthday.

Anxious yet mellow Rebecca is a therapist who has not accepted the fact her husband Brian does not do anything to contribute or benefit her in life. She then has a problem when Abby tells her “maybe the therapist needs to go to therapy.”

Naomi (Maya Rudolph) plays a worn out mother, who is constantly flustered with taking care of her four children. On the trip she misses a call from her doctor and she avoids returning the call in fear she may have breast cancer.

Rudolph’s character is going through a midlife crisis and does a great job playing the role. Capable of capturing the essence of women who are looking for the next adventure and taking a break from day to day priorities, like her children. Although Rudolph felt like the person of color token in a group of white women.

Abby (Amy Poehler) reflects on one of Poehler’s known roles as Leslie Knope in the T.V. series “Parks and Recreation.” Abby created an entire itinerary for the trip to Napa she planned to the exact detail as Knope’s character does as well. She is also controlling and wants things to go her way and everyone in the group can see it.

Poehler continues to play the role of a controlling and stubborn friend. A familiar role Poehler tends to play in most of her work. As well as she plays it, Poehler does not broaden the role she created for herself. It may have worked perfect in her previous role as Leslie Knope, except in Wine Country it becomes the role of a character that just brings out the annoyance in films about “girl trips.”

Throughout the film they try their best to not let their true feelings get in the way of them reuniting after so long but wine and molly pours it all out as they travel from vineyard to vineyard.

It was filled with comedic jokes for older women who now are on medications, or can’t live a youthful life because life gets in the way or people grow out old habits and interests.

This movie portrays what it is like for groups of friends who have known each other for years still fight and are afraid to share downfalls in their life because they don’t want to show that they’ve failed.

There were scenes where it fell into the cliché that women get emotional and only want to talk about their feelings while under the influence. It came as a surprise that Poehler directed the film and as someone who advocates for women would allow that.

It was no surprise Tina Fey appeared as a supporting role who plays the host of the Airbnb the ladies stayed at. Fey’s character balanced out the amount of clichés portrayed in this film as she warns them if a conversation begins with, “Can I just say something?” to simply walk away. And if someone confesses their feelings it’s something that person always felt and the wine just let it out.

The film was meant to make women feel good about reaching that age in life where they aren’t young but there is still so much to see and do in life. That no matter how many fights, years go unseen, and secrets are held in real friends stick together. There is a certain bond friends build as they experience struggling, laughing, crying, accomplishments achieved together, they become family.

RATE: 7/10

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