Sideways

[ash_is_the_gal]

I did a real hasty check to see if there was already a post started on this movie, didn't see one.

Two best friends. One is depressed from a divorce of two years ago, still in love with his wife. Frustrated writer who is waiting on his book to get published. The other, is getting married in a weeks time. Together, they decide to take a vacation so he can get his last days of freedom in. They drive down to another city. They taste different wine, meet woman, get themselves into a lot of trouble.

Anyway, me and my boyfriend went and saw this this afternoon. I really, really enjoyed it. First of all it was directed by one of my favorite directors, Alexander Payne (he also did Election). This movie had great diaglouge. I love movies with funny and witty dialouge. To me that is like the most important aspect. Maybe its because I want to write scripts someday as well.

The ending, abrupt as it was, was actually incredibely appropriate (won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen this movie yet). You don't know exactly what will happen, but in a way it was wise for the director to let the audience picture what will happen.

Did anyone else see this movie, and what did you think of it?

[SamsoniteDelilah]

I saw it and I LOVED it.
The analogies with wine were very well-played. I really enjoyed seeing a complex metaphor and a worthy message brought together with such entertaining comedy.
The acting was great. Thomas Hayden Church is just wonderful, down to his smallest gesture. And Paul Giamatti is also really perfect as the whinging loser. The fact that we can like and care about these two knuckle-heads is a feather in the caps of both these actors. It's an amazing feat to make these guys appealing.

An all-around well-done little film, if you axe me!


...oh, also agreed that the ending is a nice touch. This is a movie for thinking grown-ups and they ended it with that in mind, I felt.

[Holden Pike]

I was unimpressed.

It's OK, but not much more. That it is better than the usual Hollywood claptrap isn't saying much. Just because it's better than My Baby's Daddy, 50 First Dates and Raising Helen isn't anything to get excited about. The acting was fine, but not speactacular. The characters were well-drawn as far as they went, but not nearly enough was done. As for the situational gags, they were few and far between. It could have been a comedic character piece with some real wit and depth, or it could have been an updated fun Screwballer. It's bits of both here and there, but never enough of its own thing, and ultimately unsuccessful.

That Sideways is getting so much praise from critics and audiences only tells me how downright awful a year it has been for smart comedies. There have been a couple howlingly funny dumb ones - namely Dodgeball and Anchorman, but little aimed at adults. One of the few in many months to take that shot comes around, and that it's not a complete failure leads to it being overpraised. In a few months when you can view it on video, watch it in a weekend when you also watch Lost in America (1985), Annie Hall (1977), Wonder Boys (2000), As Good As it Gets (1997) and His Girl Friday (1940). Those are all truly great flicks. Sideways simply ain't in their class. Not even close. Just because we've been subjected to Soul Plane and The Whole Ten Yards around it does not by default elevate Sideways to the category of greatness.


Eh.

GRADE: B-



But as you were....

[SamsoniteDelilah]

Sounds like you're on Movie Overload, Holden. I stayed far away from the ones you're suggesting make Sideways look better, and I still enjoyed it without the contrast. It's not As Good As It Gets, but I don't think it was trying to be. It has a very 'small picture' feel to it, and as such, it's a well-told story. I'd give it a B+/A-.

[nebbit]

I am going to se it when it starts here :D

[linespalsy]

For all the attention it got, a lot of Mofo's sure seem to have missed the boat on this one. I liked it quite a lot, though I hadn't really thought of the movie comparisons (both good and bad) Holden mentioned. Actually, I hadn't even thought of it being a comedy, though I laughed quite a bit (especially at the Thomas Haden Church character's steadilly eroding looks/standards.)

I found the two main characters to be truly loathsome and was glad they steered away from madcap humor in favor of uncomfortable pathos; it would have made it too cynical.

The ending didn't do much for me (that last shot, at least), but I did really like the idea of "the letter" (hope that's not too vague, but I don't want to spoil it.)

The writing really impressed me, and I thought it had a handful of really powerful moments that evolved out of the "core story" sublimely. Where the Giamatti character meets his ex at the wedding and learns she quit, and also him drinking his special wine from a styrafoam cup at some fast food dive; I don't drink alcohol at all, never have, and these two bits really got to me, so I say the makers of this movie must have done something right.

EDIT ~ I didn't know Alexander Payne directed Election. This was better.

[Karl Childers]

I guess I'm going to have to check out this Sideways flick; which I was going to anyways.

If it isn't anything like As Good As It Gets, then it should be a decent film. AGAIG is one of the all-time most overrated items of celluloid. It is so overwhelmingly mediocre that it is the perfect embodiment of mediocre, as would exist in the Platonic form.

Helen Hunt is a great actress when the role demands zero personality-- which is every time, unfortunately. I would rather see Linda Hunt.

Greg Kinnear is great as the 21st century version of Tab Hunter-- definitely the answer to a question no one asked. And ol Jack thinks merely his presence in a film is enough to elevate his character, or perhaps the movie itself. Kinda like DeNiro starring in such current garbage as Meet The Parents, Meet The Fokkers, and Hide And Seek. Nicholson "jumped the shark" years ago when he made Wolf.

I kept waiting for something compelling to happen in the movie, but alas there was nothing.

[Stickyshoez]

A quick note: I enjoyed this movie from start to finish, howerver its also one of those movies that I can understand why people have a Love/Hate relationship with. Example: Nopoleon Dynamite

[jrs]

I'm gonna probably rent it.

[ash_is_the_gal]

I guess I'm going to have to check out this Sideways flick; which I was going to anyways.

If it isn't anything like As Good As It Gets, then it should be a decent film. AGAIG is one of the all-time most overrated items of celluloid. It is so overwhelmingly mediocre that it is the perfect embodiment of mediocre, as would exist in the Platonic form.

Helen Hunt is a great actress when the role demands zero personality-- which is every time, unfortunately. I would rather see Linda Hunt.

Greg Kinnear is great as the 21st century version of Tab Hunter-- definitely the answer to a question no one asked. And ol Jack thinks merely his presence in a film is enough to elevate his character, or perhaps the movie itself. Kinda like DeNiro starring in such current garbage as Meet The Parents, Meet The Fokkers, and Hide And Seek. Nicholson "jumped the shark" years ago when he made Wolf.

I kept waiting for something compelling to happen in the movie, but alas there was nothing.


you gave more of your thoughts on As Good As It Gets and one sentence of Sideways :rolleyes:

[linespalsy]

you gave more of your thoughts on As Good As It Gets and one sentence of Sideways :rolleyes:

I suspect the reason he only gave one sentence on Sideways was because he hadn't seen it yet.

[ash_is_the_gal]

i know that he hadn't seen it yet, but i was bringing up the question as to why he would give us a "review" on a movie that isn't the topic of discussion in this thread.

[linespalsy]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess because it was a movie that he feels strongly about or was just responding to the overwhelming praise Holden gave it (a "truly great film", as oposed to lesser romantic comedies like Sideways). Didn't strike me as an out of place comment, and actually I agree with it. Whatever.

[ash_is_the_gal]

good for you. :yup: its irrelevant whether i agree with his comment or not (i don't). but hey, further discussion of this movie can go in a more appropriate thread.

and by the way, As Good As It Gets and Sideways shouldn't even be compared as romantic comedies. I don't consider Sideways a romantic comedy at all. I guess its how you look at it. If you want to debate about the two movies, thats one thing, but as you said, he's never even seen Sideways, therefore he can't take part in that debate...yet.

[Edwin]

I did a real hasty check to see if there was already a post started on this movie, didn't see one.

Two best friends. One is depressed from a divorce of two years ago, still in love with his wife. Frustrated writer who is waiting on his book to get published. The other, is getting married in a weeks time. Together, they decide to take a vacation so he can get his last days of freedom in. They drive down to another city. They taste different wine, meet woman, get themselves into a lot of trouble.

Anyway, me and my boyfriend went and saw this this afternoon. I really, really enjoyed it. First of all it was directed by one of my favorite directors, Alexander Payne (he also did Election). This movie had great diaglouge. I love movies with funny and witty dialouge. To me that is like the most important aspect. Maybe its because I want to write scripts someday as well.

The ending, abrupt as it was, was actually incredibely appropriate (won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen this movie yet). You don't know exactly what will happen, but in a way it was wise for the director to let the audience picture what will happen.

Did anyone else see this movie, and what did you think of it?


Before seeing Sideways, I checked out another Alexander Payne film I had always known about but never got around to watching. Election. I thought it was great. Totally unexpected. Then I went to see his latest. with the same feeling I had about Election. Turned out that I loved it. A great film that exudes Payne's distinctive style as a director.

[Danny Tanner]

A quality flick, but not the best of the year, obviously, but it did have the moment of the year.









Yes, the floppy cock banging against the window. Def. moment of the year.

[Garrett]

All of the Alexander Payne films I've seen have been disappointments, this one is no exception.

[Kong: The Sequel]

Sideways was, handsdown, my favorite film of the year. It was just an absolute pleasure to watch, and (IMO) the best of Alexander Payne's films so far (although Kong also likes his other three).

[LordSlaytan]

(although Kong also likes his other three).:D

[Kong: The Sequel]

Still can't stop the third person references....it's like some kind of disease.

[Strummer521]

Still can't stop the third person references....it's like some kind of disease.

Don't fight it. I like your 3rd person style.

[Mose]

Well, this will teach me to go against the wise and all-knowing Holden :) I passed on Hotel Rwanda, mainly b/c I'm an impatient bugger who didn't feel like sitting around the house for an extra hour... After two hours of Sideways I walked out feeling disappointed. Sure there are a few funny parts, but overall I found it to be very average.

[Henry The Kid]

Sideways deserved every oscar, including Best Special Effects.

[TheUsualSuspect]

For people to say you have to be around 30 or so to enjoy this brilliant film....you're wrong, I'm 16 and absolutely loved it.

Paul Giamatti robbed again. This performance is one of the best all year (How the hell Clint got in over Paul, I will never know). Here is a performance so touching and yet hysterical at the same time that you can't help but love the guy. You feel his sadness, you feel his love, you feel his laughter and of course you feel his drunkenness. My favourite scene in this film was when Miles finds out that his ex-wife is pregnant. The hurt on Giamatti's face is perfectly executed, and yet he also feels a closure and tries to show that he is also happy for her, which he is, all these emotions were portrayed perfectly.Thomas Haden Church was great, the character was an *******, but hey, I still liked him, Church gives the character a human quality that you can't dismiss and for some you will attach to him, for others, you will hate him, but in the end, you know that the performance is worthy of a nomination. Virginia Madson and Sarah Oh, both give great supporting roles and are the glue to make the film stick together, without them the film would have been missing a lot of emotion on the other end of the spectrum (meaning we get a lot from giamatti, but here are some others).

The script was very clever and human. You don't know what is going to happen next because we as humans are unpredictable, so their actions are unpredictable. I honestly did not think this film was going to be funny, I walked into the theatre thinking it was a drama and walked out laughing my ass off. There are too many funny scenes (involving dialouge) to name, but my favs include: "I am not drinking any f*cking Merlot"

The direction here is perfect, who better to get to direct a movie then the writer, who can handle the characters perfectly and guide the actors into the right direction. Payne does this and with his brilliant cast he only needs to point in that direction, they take it from there. I love the ending, it is so ANTI-Hollywood, (just like Eternal Sunshine and hell even The Aviator for that matter). We need more films like these instead of films where talking animals are crappy sequels (Do we need a mask 2) come out. We need movies that we can connect with, we need characters that we can relate to, films that will touch our hearts and make us feel every emotion that one can have in 2 hours or so.

The film is my 3rd favourite film of 2004. Eternal sunshine and Kill Bill Vol 2 taking the first two spots, but I'm excited to see what Payne can show us in the future and as always, I'm looking forward to one of Giamatti's next films, he is quickly becoming one of my favourite actors.

9/10

[Karl Childers]

I rented this DVD with my girlfriend on what turned out to be our 3rd date. She had already seen it and thought it would be a decent movie to rent.

We got through like 20 minutes of it before it became mere background noise.

I'm such a stud.

[labonte18]

There was only one good thing about this movie and that was Thomas Hayden Church. Other then that it might have been the most boring movie i've ever watched. I'm sure for people who enjoy wine tasting this was their dream come true, but for anybody looking to be entertained, avoid this movie.

[christine]

Quite a lot of downers in this review thread that personally I felt were unwarrented. Paul Giamatti was perfect as Miles. His facial expressions, indecisive behavior, and drinking binges made him just such a believable figure (in my world anyway ;))

The dialogue was great too. It's lovely to get some middle aged (and even older) angst films these days, makes you feel part of the world....and besides gives work to some wonderful actors.

[criss]

i saw this film some months ago and now i have read your opinions/reviews i feel like watching it again
i can say this is one of the best films i saw this year, and i remember i went with some classmates of mine and none of them liked it (this usually happens), and then i heard a teacher of mine saying "you need to be older to understand it"
but i loved it and im just 18
i love this kind of stories: it seems to be simple, just 2 friends that go on a trip, okay, but there is more than that, they are so different but in my opinion both of them are lost, maybe in a different way, and during the trip they try to find themselves, there are a lot of feelings inside them, and lots of things happen to them, some of them really funny, they make us to laugh and also to feel sad, they made me to feel like being in their position maybe because of the story itself or maybe because of the actors, which are really good
and i specially liked the end, it couldnt be better

[Aniko]

Just bumping this up since there seems to be a re-newed interest in this movie around here. ;D

[7thson]

i can say this is one of the best films i saw this year


Definitely in my top 10

[Tacitus]

Loved it.

A tonic for slightly neurotic, balding, divorced 30-somethings everywhere.

Wine, sex and golf - what more could you want? :D

[nebbit]

What Tatty said http://bestsmileys.com/thumbs/7.gif

[Ophelia]

I never considered this film as a comedy, its much more than that. You care for the characters, understand them and why they are feeling the way they are/reacting the way they are, you forgive them for all their little imperfections, as we are all so similar.

I loved this film. And the commentary between Haden-Church and Giamatti should not be missed. They mesh so well together on screen and seemingly in life.

Also - Virginia Madsen is just gorgeous viewing.

[7thson]

Loved it.

Wine, sex and golf - what more could you want? :D

The energy to do all that?

[Sleezy]

A tonic for slightly neurotic, balding, divorced 30-somethings everywhere.

And for the slightly neurotic, balding, divorced 30-something elect. ;)

[SamsoniteDelilah]

Some more thoughts on Sideways:

Someone told me recently that she didn't like Sideways because she didn't like the characters (meaning that she didn't like the kinds of people they were). She particularly didn't like Tom Church's character, calling him a "selfish, pig-headed dullard" (or something to that effect).
I am really suprised that I didn't have exactly the same reaction. I think the thing that saved it for me was that we see the pain he brings on himself and others by his actions. THC poured himself into the scene where he breaks down in a panic at the idea of losing his fiancee - you see that he's realised what is important to him. Also, we get to watch Sandra Oh beat the snot out of him, and I'm not above admitting I loved that.

Some people are really like that. They're not evil, and they're not even definitive antagonists. They're just people, and you accept them for who they are (especially if you are related, or if you have to work with them daily). Not one character in Sideways can be called the "good guy" or "bad guy," and I like that, because all you seem to find in mainstream Hollywood flicks anymore is the clear-cut "protagonist-versus-antagonist" model. ... Sideways, to me, is a fantastic example of showing how real characters with real desires, insecurities, and problems interact with each other in ultimately real ways.

Example: Virginia Madsen's character seems very sweet, intelligent, and fair-minded from the moment she is introduced. But when Paul Giamatti's character reveals something that he hadn't told her previously (even after they've had such a great time together), she storms home and stops speaking to him. Watching it, I was like, "Whoa, isn't that a little harsh? Things were going so well, and he tells you something that wasn't even his responsibility, and you turn your back!" But then I thought, "Huh. I know people like this. I've had this happen to me before. I've done this to people." And then it made sense. She responded out of pain and insecurity, not out of wanting to hurt someone. That's the kind of depth and reality of character that all too often (in my opinion) gets washed out.
Bang. On.
I think it's a pity that this film was marketed as some sort of slapstick comedy. That set a lot of people up for disappointment, as they missed the much deeper themes in it. I saw the whole wine thing as a metaphor for living a life of quality - carefully grown. The messages about care and gentleness and how important they are to a happy life were something so rare in film, and lovely to see.

[Tacitus]

I've said it in another thread but Sideways spoke to me on a level that I've not reached in quite a while.

Human frailty, that's all I'm comfy with saying. I saw a lot of myself in Miles and if I looked deeper inside I'd probably see some sort of vague, allegorical mirror image in Jack too - as they're two sides of the same coin in many ways. Remember why Miles' marriage broke up in the first place?

Then there was the redemptive aspect. Sure, Jack hurts people on the way to experiencing his own personal nirvana but, as has already been said so eloquently, that's what humans sometimes (have to?) do. :)

I was at a loss as to what to watch tonight, not any more...

[Sleezy]

THC poured himself into the scene where he breaks down in a panic at the idea of losing his fiancee - you see that he's realised what is important to him.

And yet, very soon after, he's back to screwing with Giamatti and being a selfish prick. That's just one more example of the kind of reality you find in this film. People don't just have an epiphany, and then change forever. They may see (or even just know) that they've got problems, but it's like a drug: you can't just NOT do it; you have to fight it, and sometimes you lose.

I think it's a pity that this film was marketed as some sort of slapstick comedy. That set a lot of people up for disappointment, as they missed the much deeper themes in it. I saw the whole wine thing as a metaphor for living a life of quality - carefully grown. The messages about care and gentleness and how important they are to a happy life were something so rare in film, and lovely to see.

:yup: YES! YES! You lovely, intelligent woman! :yup: The scene with Virginia Madsen and Paul Giamatti talking about the wine, and the Pinot grapes...

...that's just great effing writing. :yup:

I've said it in another thread but Sideways spoke to me on a level that I've not reached in quite a while.

Human frailty, that's all I'm comfy with saying. I saw a lot of myself in Miles

Yep. I'll say a bit. While I didn't have to deal with an ex-wife getting re-married and pregnant, I had to deal with losing the only woman I've ever met with whom I could see myself spending a life. We had shared so much, and we were so close; but things ended when she decided it wouldn't work, and in less than a month, she had moved on to someone else. I've never felt so dead in all my life, like life was just a pointless charade.

My heart falls out of my chest every time I watch Miles drinking that prize bottle of wine in a styrofoam cup in the fast food joint. I mean, how heartbreaking does that feel? The guy has run the gamut of emotions, high and low, through the whole film, and seemingly comes out at the end beaten and (both physically and emotionally) alone. So tragic, but so very real. Because I've been there, and to have a film tell me that I'm not alone with that...that's a pretty special thing.

I was at a loss as to what to watch tonight, not any more...

Yeah, I think I'll watch it too. :)

[Tacitus]

I saw the whole wine thing as a metaphor for living a life of quality - carefully grown. The messages about care and gentleness and how important they are to a happy life were something so rare in film, and lovely to see.

Well, I just watched Sideways again and read the wine metaphor the same as you did, certainly in Miles' and Maya's case, but also found an interesting counterpart:

I like how wine continues to evolve, like if I opened a bottle of wine today it would taste different than if I'd opened it on any other day, because a bottle of wine is actually alive. And it's constantly evolving and gaining complexity. That is, until it peaks, like your '61. And then it begins its steady, inevitable decline.

The clock's ticking Miles, we're both complex and evolved... ;)

[Sexy Celebrity]

I'm almost done watching this. I got it from the library and watched an hour and a half of it last night, but just had to go to bed (it was 3 AM). It hasn't really made me laugh yet... I don't get the quote on the cover that says "BEST COMEDY OF THE YEAR!" Paul's character is sorta interesting and I loved Virginia Madsen's speech about wine and why she loves it, but that's about it. When I turned off the TV, they were about to have sex. Maybe it gets steamier. Maybe they take a shower and wash themselves in wine. I dunno, I didn't stick around in awake world long enough.

[The Watcher]

I just recently watch Sideways and found it to be interesting and entertaining-- it didn't change my life but I was happy that I had watched it.