Netflix has a fizzy Amy Poehler movie tucked away that's full of charm — and it's based on Poehler's own weekends away with friends!

For something that's so much a part of everyday life, you’d expect wine to appear regularly on screen and, indeed, it’s regularly quaffed. But when it comes to naming movies where it’s an integral part of the story, most of us would come up with Sideways (2004) ….. and then we’d struggle. Tucked away on Netflix is a film that could be described as "Netflix and chilled" — and it also happens to be Amy Poehler’s debut feature as a director. We’re in Wine Country (2019).

She also plays the lead, the obsessively organised Abby, who arranges a celebratory break on a wine estate for a group of six friends who’ve known each other for years.

One of them is about to hit 50, so a few days of relaxation, wine, fun, catching up and, of course, wine are all on her painstakingly detailed itinerary. But, inevitably, bringing together such long-standing friends with their separate lives and issues means this isn’t all about celebration.

The wine, however, also doubles as a truth drug for the women, who can all be neatly categorised. There's the control freak, the lonely gay, the tactful therapist, the insecure artist, the career woman, and the one with a big secret and, although they comfortably fit into their respective boxes, each member of the ensemble takes hold of their character and brings her to life with a sparkle that reflects the inspiration for the film. It’s based on Poehler’s own weekends away with friends.

The cast could be lifted straight from the SNL line-up, with Poehler, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, and Rachel Dratch, so the emphasis is very much on comedy, with Rudolph in particular having a ball performing some wine-fuelled entertainment.

But there’s another side to the story, and that’s the complexities that go with long-standing friendships. It shows what goes on beneath the surface of the group: how some friends can be closer than others, how some can love you dearly but drive you round the bend, and how nobody ever tells their close friends the unvarnished truth for fear of damaging their relationship. It’s as intricate as any family and, along the way, it’s odds on that the film will echo your own friendships, regardless of gender or age.

Wine Country | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube

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A small collection of supporting characters adds additional colour to the narrative, with one of them played by Maya Erskine. A waitress and amateur artist, she's the only millennial in the film and catches the eye of one of the main group, as well as being a catalyst for other events. A rising talent when the film was released, she adds a richness to proceedings as well as demonstrating her own individual comedy talents alongside the likes of Poehler, Fey and Rudolph. 2019 proved to be her breakout year, with the launch of PEN15, the TV show that made her name, and the arrival of a rom-com in cinemas, which made audiences take notice.

Plus One teamed her with another up-and-coming face, Jack Quaid, as a pair of single friends who accompany each other to ten weddings over the course of one summer. The result was a comedy partnership full of charm and fizz.

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Last year saw her star ascend even further in Prime Video's Mr and Mrs Smith, a reboot of the 2005 Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie slick action comedy. Her high-energy chemistry with Donald Glover as the strangers-turned-spies who masquerade as a married couple was one of the main reasons for the show’s phenomenal success. It became the most-watched series on Prime Video, dominating the streamer’s charts for several weeks.

Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 90% score, guest appearances from the likes of Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson, and Alexander Skarsgard kept audiences hooked, and the much-expected confirmation of a second season came just three months later.

Then everything went quiet. It was only earlier this year that a trickle of news started. Yellowjackets star Sophie Thatcher was announced as taking over from Erskine and, while Anora breakout, Mark Eydelshteyn, was said to be replacing Glover, more recent reports point to another, undisclosed role.

The possibility of losing the show’s double act is already fuelling concern amongst fans, as is its format. The casting changes could point to more changes in direction, and an anthology is increasingly on the cards.

Apparently, a script is in place, but there’s no word on a start date for filming, which could also indicate there’s more to finalise. And, with the cameras showing no sign of rolling yet, there’s little chance of the second season seeing the light of day this year, whatever the format. The future of Prime Video’s biggest show is almost as big a cliffhanger as its season one finale. Fans could be in for a long wait — but, if season two turns out to be on a par with last year’s outing, it’ll be more than worth it.

Wine Country is on Netflix in the US and the UK.

Season one of Mr & Mrs Smith is on Prime Video in the US and the UK.

Plus One is on Prime Video in the US and the UK.