Sideways is an extraordinary movie. I was looking for the right word to characterize and I went through a bunch of them. “Great” is not the right word here as it implies something on a magnitude never seen before. Lawrence of Arabia is a great movie. The first Star Wars (episode IV) is a great movie.
“Sideways” gets its inspiration from the ordinary (some may even call it lame) and transcends it to a level that’s poetic and funny at the same time. Admittedly, you have to be an adult in order to appreciate its appeal. This is no American pie.
It’s easy to identify with Miles (Paul Giamatti), if you’re into drinking and/or writing. Not surprisingly, “Sideways” has become an instant favorite amongst critics. The director (Alexander Payne) steers clear of sarcasm and heads straight for humor and sweetness.
Miles is an English teacher who’s just completed his third unpublished novel, The Day After Yesterday. He’s been divorced for two years but he’s still hopeful he and his wife will get back together. His buddy, Jack, is getting married in a week which calls for a weeklong bachelor party in California wine country. Jack is a voice-over actor, his TV career going nowhere.
Miles is not an alcoholic. He’s a wine-connoisseur who never responds to a “say when.” It would seem wine drinking is the only activity where he feels comfortable to go all the way. His interactions with women, publishers, and even golf sticks, are forced and half-hearted.
On the surface, Jack is his complete opposite: self-assured, handsome, with an itch in his pants. Jack’s determination to have a last fling before getting married gets in the way of Miles’ carefully planned trip (golf and wine tasting ad nauseum).
Thanks to Jack’s enthusiasm about the opposite sex, Miles finds a soul mate in Maya (Virginia Madsen). Miles has known Maya for years but he never got past the small talk. When they start talking about wine the movie finds its most romantic and intimate moments.
The movie strengths lie in the characters. Paul Giamatti is on to something with his portrayal of men at the apogee of the mid-life crisis (American Splendor). Virginia Madsen, Thomas Haden Church, and Sandra Oh are an excellent support cast adding depth, variety, and sometimes humor.
Update: I just saw “Sideways” for a second time and I still find it an extraordinary mix of despair, comedy, warmth, and of course, plenty of wine. Best served slightly chilled.
There are some comic moments ( like the one with the last condom left ) but it was very tedious to watch it till the end.
I suppose I’m not “an adult in order to appreciate its appeal”.
Although I didn’t like the movie, I think the review is great. It makes me tell myself “Hmm,I should see it again…”
Thanks for the praise. I didn’t mean to insult your “adult-ness.”
I’m not into my mid-life crisis yet either. I guess we still have the best part of life ahead of us
I’m sure we do!
A friend of mine told me that the movie is “great” and I went to see it. I was very disappointed because I did not get even the slightest idea how the film touched my friend. Reading this review, I remembered certain scenes and I think I “understand” her feelings better. Thank you
Iam sure this gonna to sustain the feelings of those peoples who have…..if you know what i mean.;)
I don know but why i don find such informative and profitable blogs so often,I suspect blogging world is becoming so small that we cant find such lucrative blogs like this one.
It will gonna to be the most tendentious or prestigious way for wine sites to be more promoted.
I suspect that’s thereason general public want to read blog….Internet visitors generally create blogs to declare themselves or their secret views. Blog grant them same matter on the monitor screen what they specifically needed,so as the above stuffs declared it.
i wached the movie,i liked it but the thing is that i have to find out the SWOT analysis from the agrotourism point of view,for one of my classes asignments. can sb help me here?????thanks