CriticSociety- film reviews

Review

Sideways

Director

Alexander Payne

Year

2004

Rating

Reviewed by

José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris

Review date

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Sideways was the last movie I saw during the Oscar season. And what a way to close it! I’m amazed a little movie like this could become what it ultimately became: a critics’ darling and a box office triumph. The latter is even more mind-numbing for me, but I couldn’t be happier. People can say whatever they want about the Oscars and the awards season, but one thing I’ll always be grateful for is the fact that they bring attention to smaller quality movies. Would I have watched the movie if it hadn’t gone as far as it did? I sadly don’t think so. I respect Alexander Payne and his movies are usually good, but I’m not the biggest fan. Fortunately, word-of-mouth grew until the buzz was unbearable, and indifference was not an option anymore.

Miles (Paul Giamatti) is a failed writer who also happens to be a wine expert. He takes his actor friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church) on a stateside trip for one week before Jack marries. That said, all Jack wants to do is get laid, and he soon finds in Stephanie (Sandra Oh) the perfect prey. But Miles should have some fun too, so Jack hooks him up with Maya (Virginia Madsen), a waitress Miles has been fond of for some time now.

At first glance it’s difficult to appreciate why Sideway is such a wonderful, poignant, though-provoking movie. After all, it’s all about a guy who only thinks of sex and a guy who is his exact opposite, especially after having just come out of a painful divorce. And sure, the movie is really funny. Yes, it is a comedy. And it’s very effective at that. So why?

Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor did a beautiful job in translating Rex Pickett’s novel to the big screen. Sideways is just like the fine wine the characters in the movie keep drinking and talking about. It takes its time, it suddenly comes alive, and the aftertaste is simply delicious, flavoring its different moments depending on how you look at it.

It is also a movie about two guys in the midst of a mid-life crisis. And beyond all the comedy lies the story of two individuals who are actually quite sad and lonely, searching for answers in disparate ways. Their relationship is developed carefully and realistically, as is the one between Miles and Maya. That said, the best scene of the movie belongs to these two, just sitting and talking at Stephanie’s porch. It just doesn’t get any better.

The four lead performances in Sideways are all perfectly suited to their characters. This is what I call perfect casting. Paul Giamatti leads in a wonderful, understated, pathos-filled performance that carries the movie on its shoulders and comes off incredibly well. Thomas Haden Church, on the other hand, is the scene stealer, delivering the absolute best supporting performance of the year. He’s hilarious, over-the-top and as sad as it gets. Virginia Madsen, on the other hand, is glorious and gives the movie its spiritual weight. And Sandra Oh is irresistible in the smaller role of them all.

Minor complaint: Rolfe Kent’s score. I’s like elevator music! Completely distracting at times.

“And it tastes so fucking good.”

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Other reviews of Sideways (2004): Groucho