Review of Sideways (2004) by Mínnar M — 25 Jul 2011

Sideways is pure movie heaven. It's the type of movie that represents why I love cinema and what it is capable of doing, the characters it is capable of creating, and the stories it is capable of telling. Sideways is a small film that is big on character, with two of the finest, more fully realized individuals I have ever seen in a movie. Although it may seem small, Sideways deals in big, genuine emotions, and it is affecting in the way only a masterpiece can be. It's sort of a comedy and sort of a drama, but it marries the two with such a deftness of tone that the overall experience becomes sublime and mesmerizing, and it creates a whole that is better than the sum of its parts. It creates a story that is genuinely human, with two achingly human characters at its center. By the time Sideways was over, I felt as though I knew these characters, something that occurs all too rarely in film and something that marks this movie as a genuine masterpiece of modern filmmaking.

The plot of Sideways is very simple, but its story is not. It's basically about two friends, Miles (Paul Giamatti),a struggling writer and an eighth grade English teacher, and Jack (Thomas Haden Church), an actor who is about to get married, who go out for a week of wine tasting, golf playing, and soul searching in the Santa Barbara County Wine Country. Once there, they meet Maya (Virginia Madsen) and Stephanie (Sandra Oh), who Miles and Jack, respectively, begin to court. Miles, however, has a lot on his mind, from his novel to his ex-wife's upcoming remarriage, and with his low self esteem and lack of self confidence he has reservations about doing just about anything that is uncomfortable for him. Jack meanwhile, worried about Miles' depression and wanting to have one last fling himself, decides they both should hook up with these women and just enjoy themselves.

Although it may sound relatively simple, the story is actually rather complex. Miles is an extraordinarily human character, as is Jack, and in terms of the nature of human emotion, this is a very complex and layered picture. These are genuine people, the likes of which almost never grace movie screens anymore, and, in terms of poignancy, this movie blows all but a few from this past decade of films out of the water. Although it's very low-key, Sideways has the power to affect very deeply, possibly even causing some viewers to reflect on the state of their own life and where it is going. Sideways deals with depression, anxiety, confusion, anger, aging, relationships, and, most importantly, life, and each of these themes is within the film as a function of the characters, rather than as pompous examinations of various emotional states or anything so pretentious.

Despite its at-times heavy subject matter, Sideways makes sure that it makes time to include the lighter side of being a human as well. Much of what is on display in Sideways is comedic and silly, and there are a few big laughs in addition to numerous chuckles to be had throughout. All of the comedy is within the grasp of reality, and it's funny because of the characters we're watching rather than because the story demands a laugh in a certain place. Make no mistake, even though Sideways carries emotional weight, it isn't an overly depressing picture; it's also a lot of fun.

The acting is phenomenal, particularly by Giamatti and Church. Both completely inhabit their characters, essaying real genuine humans who we feel could have known each other forever. There aren't many big acting moments throughout the film too, and both of the characters wisely understand this aspect of the script and really find the characters, wisely underplaying them in ways that actors so often fail to do. There are nuances in the performances that match the nuances in the script, and the melding of the two creates about as engrossing an experience as a movie can.

Sideways is a fantastic motion picture, with a quiet energy that is mesmerizing. It never feels like anything is thrown in to accomplish anything other than advancing the characters, and the story is well assured and moves at its own pace. The two main characters are genuinely human, and the film deals out its drama and comedy with such a deftness of touch that it's really quite sublime. Every scene serves a purpose, and every scene, no matter what tone it takes, is engaging and necessary for the story. Sideways is in some aspects quite a strange film, but I wish more films were made like this. It's a nice pleasant buddy movie on the surface that ends up being far more profound than any buddy movie ever made. I really can't praise it highly enough. It's brilliant, involving, sublime... it's something that's special, and it's not to be missed.

Rating: 10/10.