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Miles and Jack are two friends who take a long road trip before
Jack's wedding to celebrate his last week of freedom. Miles
selects a trip to the vineyards of the Santa Ynez Valley,
which for him means revisiting some old haunts and familiar
faces. Miles is happy to drink good wine, play golf, eat great
food, and enjoy the scenery. Jack, on the other hand, just
wants to get laid. It's not long before Jack meets Stephanie
and the two embark on a passionate fling. Meanwhile, Miles
runs into Maya, a waitress who shares his passion and knowledge
of wine, and the pair edge towards a tentative romance. Emerging
from a haze of pinot noir, Miles and Jack inevitably collide
with reality - and it's not always pretty...
Sideways
examines
the complicated lives of two middle-aged men who have been
friends since college. Miles is a depressed would-be writer
with a passion for wine-tasting, and Jack is a happy-go-lucky,
womanising, one-time TV star. The week before Jack's wedding
the two intend to spend a week together relaxing. But fate
steps in and makes them question their two very different
paths in life. Will Miles ever be a real writer? And should
Jack really get married?
This
movie is both funny and touching. Miles and Jack, like so
many friends in real life, have so little in common, yet their
friendship works. I couldn't help noticing the similarity
between
Giamatti and Church
and a couple of other famous actors. In fact if this movie
had been made in the '80s
I could very well see Richard Dreyfuss and
Willem Dafoe in the lead roles.
Giamatti
brings just the right amount of humour/uncomfortableness to
the role of Miles, while Church's Jack is a little off the
rails. Like a fine wine, both of these characters grow on
us as we take their journey with them. And while, in the end,
they deserve everything they get, you can't help but feel
for them.
Virginia
Madsen and Sandra Oh, as the love interests Maya and Stephanie,
are perfect in their respective roles - even if Oh is a little
under used. Maya and Miles seem perfect as a couple with very
similar interests, and it was interesting to see them both
still acting like confused teenagers.
There
was only one scene in this entire movie that I just didn't
get. Miles and Jack stop off at Miles's mother's on the way
to the Santa Ynez Valley, and while there Miles steals some
money from her. This seemed a little strange as Miles is not
hard up for money and in all other respects seems to be a
very honest guy - sure there are the white lies, but nothing
that would suggest that he would steel from his own mother.
Extras
include an audio commentary with actors Paul
Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church; a behind
the scenes featurette (6.5 mins) and deleted scenes (16.5
mins).
Sideways
is extremely palatable and is just different enough to make
you sit up and take notice. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Darren
Rea
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