TIFF 2025 Review: ‘Napa Boys’ Is a Wine-Country Misfire

Synopsis: A mysterious individual known as “The Sommelier” leads a group of friends on a strange trip through wine country.
Director: Nick Corirossi
Stars: Armen Weitzman, Nick Corirossi, Sarah Ramos

Every year, there are films that miss the mark, but Napa Boys doesn’t just miss—it crashes spectacularly. Directed Nick Corirossi, this supposed comedy-drama set in California’s wine country is one of the worst cinematic experiences of 2025. It’s not simply bad; it’s bafflingly pointless, a movie so devoid of purpose that one wonders how it ever made it past a pitch meeting.

The premise, such as it is, follows a group of friends attempting to reinvent themselves by starting a vineyard in Napa Valley. What could have been a charming exploration of ambition, friendship, and the intoxicating allure of wine culture instead devolves into a slog of clichés, juvenile humor, and incoherent storytelling. Scenes drag on without rhythm, dialogue feels like it was cobbled together from rejected sitcom scripts, and the characters are so thinly drawn they barely register as human.

The performances don’t help. The cast, a mix of recognizable faces and newcomers, seem lost in material that gives them nothing to work with. Attempts at comedy fall flat, attempts at drama feel forced, and attempts at romance are laughably awkward. By the halfway point, the film has already exhausted its meager bag of tricks, leaving audiences to endure a second act that feels endless.

What makes Napa Boys particularly painful is its sheer lack of authenticity. Napa Valley is a region rich with culture, history, and artistry, yet the film reduces it to a backdrop for frat‑boy antics and half‑baked melodrama. There’s no sense of place, no appreciation for the craft of winemaking, and no attempt to capture the beauty of the landscape. Instead, the cinematography is flat and uninspired, as if shot on autopilot.

By the time the credits roll, viewers are left not with satisfaction or even mild amusement, but with a gnawing sense of wasted time. The ending, which tries to tie together themes of friendship and perseverance, lands with a thud. It’s more likely to induce eye‑rolling—or outright nausea—than any genuine emotion.

Ultimately, Napa Boys is less a film than a cautionary tale: proof that not every idea deserves to be made. How this project was greenlit remains a mystery, but one thing is certain—audiences would be better off skipping it entirely.

Grade: F