Stuti Gokhale
‘A Perfect Pairing’ is a humorous romantic comedy movie on Netflix. Directed by Stuart McDonald, it revolves around Lola, a dynamic Los Angeles-based wine executive, who travels to the Australian farmlands to meet Hazel Vaughn, a potential client. However, she is forced to work in Hazel’s sheep station, where she gets attracted to Max- the charming farm boss with a deep secret. So does Lola finally manage to win the contract as well as his heart? Let’s find the answers to these questions as well as more about the touching ending of ‘A Perfect Pairing.’ SPOILERS AHEAD.
A Perfect Pairing Plot Synopsis
Lola Alvarez is a talented sommelier who works as a wine executive for Mythos, a wine importing company. Though she is the best at her job, her boss Calder mistreats her and refuses to acknowledge her hard work. Things get worse when her colleague Audra steals her idea of roping in an Australian client named Vaughn Family Wines and pitches it to Calder. Frustrated to the hilt, Lola quits the job and decides to start her own wine importing company. But due to the lack of clientele, she is unable to get her ideas off the ground.
Thus, Lola decides to take matters into her own hands and flies to Waratah Station, Hazel’s family sheep farm in Australia where she is holidaying. Upon her arrival, she bumps into Max, the handsome boss cocky (farm manager), who warns her to stay away from Hazel. Regardless, Lola approaches her and pitches her ideas, but the latter turns her down as her company is relatively new and still needs a license. Desperate to convince Hazel, she agrees to work as a temporary jillaroo (ranch hand) under Max at the farm, to prove her mettle.
Lola soon finds out that farm life is not as easy as she thought, and struggles to learn the chores and fit in with her fellow ranch hands Sam, Breeze, and Kylie. Luckily, Max guides her through different tasks, such as building wire fences, feeding the sheep, cleaning the pens, and also, scooping sheep manure to make fertilizer. As Lola pushes through each day to do her best, her confidence starts depleting gradually. When she accidentally sprays manure over Hazel one day, she decides to quit out of embarrassment and go back home.
To Lola’s surprise, Max stops her and convinces her to stay, by praising her never-give-up spirit and sincerity. When she returns to Waratah Station, she reads about Sybylla Vaughn, Hazel’s great grandmother who founded the sheep farm and managed it on her own. Feeling inspired, Lola sets out to perfect her jillaroo duties and not just becomes efficient in her work, but also wins over the other farmworkers. Seeing her progress, Max allows her to learn sheep shearing firsthand and gifts her a new hat in appreciation.
One night, Lola and Max share a sweet moment in Hazel’s swimming pool, and the latter notices them together. The next day, the pair take the sheep for herding and during the break, Max sneaks her away to a hidden waterfall, which was Sybylla’s favorite spot on the farm. Amazed at how much he knows about her and the Vaughns, Lola asks him about his past, but he strangely evades her questions and just shares how he was a rather rebellious youth who mended his ways after his mother’s death.
Elsewhere, in Los Angeles, Audra finds out that Lola is in Australia to meet Hazel as their potential competition. She hesitantly informs Calder, who decides to go there as well to sabotage her. Back at Waratah Station, Lola goes for a night out with her new friends at the local pub, but they end up getting into a hilarious bar fight, only to be rescued by Max later. In the meantime, he and Hazel converse, and it is shockingly revealed that they are siblings.
Guilty after their mother’s death, Max chose to remain a silent partner in the wine business and focused on managing Waratah Station, while Hazel took charge of Vaughn Family Wines. Having seen him with Lola in the swimming pool earlier, she realizes that they like each other. Thus, Hazel advises Max to tell Lola about his true identity, but he refuses to do so out of fear. He also states he has no interest in joining the family business and requests his sister to keep the truth to herself.
A Perfect Pairing Ending: Do Lola and Max End Up Together?
Yes, after a lot of trials and tribulations, Lola and Max end up together. A few days after his talk with Hazel, he takes Lola to visit the winery, and she is elated to finally return to what she loves doing the most. Not just that, she is surprised at his knowledge of wines and their composition. Excited at witnessing how Vaughn Family Wines functions, she comes up with a beautiful sketch of Sybylla Vaughn and suggests pitching it to Hazel as a bottle label design.
Afterward, Lola and Max camp out for the night at a beautiful spot and she shares her ideas with him, while he gifts her an expensive wine he has gotten for her from the winery. This sweet gesture brings them closer to each other, and they share a passionate kiss under the stars. But when he musters the courage and reveals his true identity to her the next morning, she is dismayed at his lies. She tells him that contrary to what he may have believed, she is not interested in his money or social status, and his dishonesty has changed everything between them.
When the pair returns from their camping trip, Lola immediately decides to return to Los Angeles and starts packing her bags. Max tries to apologize and make her stay but is unable to express himself properly. Heartbroken at his lack of effort, Lola sadly bids goodbye to her friends and returns to Los Angeles. A few months later, she establishes her company Salud Imports and starts gaining the trust of patrons.
Lola further refrains from contacting Max, as she is still upset over what he did as well as how little he did to stop her from leaving. But during one of her wine tasting events, Max suddenly turns up and apologizes for his past behavior. He lovingly confesses his feelings for her and they kiss passionately. Later, they return to Waratah Station as a happy couple, to celebrate Sam’s wedding with her girlfriend Heidi.
Does Lola Get the Vaughn Family Wines Contract?
Yes, Lola also manages to acquire Vaughn Family Wines as a client, but not without overcoming several hurdles. Upon returning from the camping trip after arguing with Max, Lola sees Calder and Audra at Hazel’s doorstep. He cleverly lies to Hazel and says that he is offering Lola a promotion in the company, and tries stealing credits for her efforts again. Though Lola stops her former boss and refuses his selfish offer, she gets dejected when Hazel decides to give the Vaughn Family Wines contract to Mythos.
Lola gives up on her dream of working with Hazel and gifts her a wine bottle with Sybylla’s sketch as a farewell present before leaving. Realizing her mistakes, Audra apologizes to Lola, who forgives her and walks away. A few months later, she quits working with Calder and asks Lola for a second chance. Despite everything that has happened between them, she relents and hires Audra into her company. Slowly, both women manage to score a few patrons for Salud Imports and start attending events.
At the same time, Calder loses Hazel’s contract due to his poor work ethic, but Lola decides to not go after her and looks for fresh clients. When Max comes to apologize to Lola later, he gives her another surprise by revealing that he has become an active partner in Vaughn Family Wines and has convinced Hazel to take on Lola’s company as their exclusive importer. Not just that, they also select Lola’s sketch of Sybylla as their official bottle logo. Thus, after so many months of sincere hard work, her dream of working with Vaughn Family Wines finally comes true.
Read More: Is Vaughn Family Wines a Real Company? Is Waratah Station a Real Sheep Ranch?
