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My wife and I had just returned from a drive through Napa, Sonoma, and Willamette Valley. We had visited 25 wineries in 9 days, tasted more cabs, pinots, and chards in one week than we ever thought possible, and along the way we read various books about viticulture. We returned home having transformed into enthusiastic oenophiles. Let's relax in front of the TV and watch a movie, I suggested, so tired of driving. Our new purchase of Sideways had arrived while we were gone, and it seemed the appropriate way to end a great vacation. The story revolves around four character, two men on a drive through the wine country, and two women who the men meet along the way. Miles (Paul Giamatti) is a pathetic divorced man who dwells on his ex-wife, lingers a little too long over every glass of wine, and expresses himself in the writing of a lengthy manuscript that's destined never to be published. Jack (Thomas Haden Church) is a jock who's simply looking for a little action prior to throwing himself into a marriage we know won't last--a man who loves to drink but doesn't know the difference between a bordeaux and a burgundy. Maya (Virginia Madsen), a divorcee, is unimaginably tender and patient, sufficient to pull Miles out of his shell. Stephanie (Sandra Oh) is a hard-working single-mom who likes to have fun and would love to find a man who would also be a father to her child. Unfortunately, the two men in the story come across as caricatures--too big, too absurd, and too melodramatic to be believed. Could anyone really be as selfish, crass, and uncaring as Jack? Could anyone be as self-absorbed and dysthymic as Miles? Maya is a forgettable character, perhaps unlikable to the viewer simply because she's attracted to a man with as little dignity as Miles. The tragic victim of the movie is Stephanie. No one deserves to be treated as she was, especially by an engaged man only a week before his wedding. Stephanie is the most vulnerable, and she's also the one who is hurt the most. The interactions between Jack and Stephanie make the movie almost painful to watch. Finally, there is the Pinot Noir, the wine that somehow emerges as the main character of this movie. As the perfect glass is sought after, the wine begins to take on a life of its own: tender and fragile, yet with depth of character unequaled by any of the other stars in the movie. It is analgous to the bowl of udon in Tampopo. At the end of the movie, my only conclusion was that despite all the pain and suffering that life has to offer, somewhere there is a wonderful glass of Pinot Noir in which to find solace.Read full review
Some college friendships last. This mismatched pair were always a mistake, but funny movie.
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This movie is strictly a male-bonding movie. We have all known friends like the two main characters and maybe we are one of them. Miles Raymond , played by Paul Giamatti is pessimistic, has just had his book rejected by a publisher, and has been abandoned by his spouse who surfaces married and pregrant later in the movie. He is depressed and shows it. Thomas Haden Church plays his college friend, Jack, who is about to marry his girlfriend and seems to have everything going for him. He is also a past soap opera star and has a female following. So Miles invites Jack on a week long bachelor party in California's wine district. Miles wants to find the perfect pinot noir. Jack wants to get laid as many times as possible before the wedding. Both find romance in the terms that they want. Miles finds Maya (Virginia Madsen) recently widowed and lonely--a restaurant waitress, who remembers Miles from the last time he visited the motel. Jack finds Stephanie (Sandra Oh), a wine taster, who is looking for a father for her child. She is deceived about the upcoming wedding and after several turns in the hay finds out. While going ballistic, she messes up his nose but more importantly also messes up the relationship between Miles and Maya. There is more to the plot, and the same ideas continue on the way back from the trip. At the end, we find Miles making one last, long ride back to Maya's apartment to see if she will forgive him for the deceit involving his friend and Stephanie. My only complaint is that this question is not resolved. The movie ends with him climbing up the stairs. This is strictly an adult movie. There is nudity--both male and female. My male friends loved it and laughed hysterically; my female friends felt that it was not so good. But in my opinion, it is throughly enjoyable and deserves the acclaim that it received. And acclaim it did receive. Thomas Haden Church was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Virginia Madsen was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The director, Alexander Payne, was nominated in that category. The movie was nominated for Best Picture. None of these won. However, the movie did win the Oscar for Best Writing. For me, it wins for Best Male Bonding movie. It's much better than "Deliverance."Read full review
I already had this DVD but it was scratched and worn and not watchable. I enjoyed finally being able to see all the scenes and hear the dialogue I had been missing! It's a lovely story, well scriped and well acted, with amusing and very human characters, some beautiful scenes of California, and lots of interesting details about grapes and vineyards and the "life" of a glass of wine. Bravo for another entertainig Indie film! (The one negative was the insertion of the scene of a hefty couple "doing it" in bed while the protagonist retrieves his friend's wallet. It wasn't necessary and kinda vulgar, but, again, a humorous contrast).
Well, what can I say, finally a movie about the incredible world of Californian Wine. Fair enough, but the story is just annoying to me and totally overrated. His friend is just a very bad, sad and disgusting caracter, and this is in order to use an approproate choice of words in this review. I get angry with him in the middle of the movie and that drives me away from the film. The antagonistic behaviour of the main caracter about the whole situation is another part that I cannot take. And, did you realize the mistake??? He does not drink Merlot??? Well, take a closer look at what he drinks in the final scene. Come on!!! What happened to the research about the main part of this film???
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