Review of Sideways (2009) by Mirko B — 07 Nov 2010

For me, "Sideways" falls within the same film category like "Chocolat"-one of those films that are(among other things) about hedonism and unleash a craving in the viewer for, in this case, wine. Unlike Lasse Halstrom, Alexander Payne didn't push the envelope with the already all-too-present Johnny Depp, but cast Paul Giamatti instead, who created a little masterpiece with Miles, the depressed author who takes his bachelor friend Jack(T.H. Church)for a pre-wedding road trip through Californian wine country. In Jack's determination to get laid before the wedding, the two friends hook up with Stephanie(Sandra Oh) and Maya(Virginia Madsen) who they meet along in wine bars on their wine trail.

This aenological travelogue takes the viewer straight into the midlife-crises of Jack and Miles. You'll rather pity them then envy them- Miles is constantly struggling with feelings for his ex-wife and a sense of failiure as an author, whereas Jack is a semi-famous actor whom nobody seems to be recognizing anymore. In other words, your typical two losers. This is great, because you commiserate with them and the whole story seems more real(which they rarely do in films these days). Virgnia Madsen's fragile Maya is a tough nut to crack, and when she does, men usually don't take the hint. Like Miles who freaked out and left. When the two of them do hit it off after all, he spills the beans about Jacks fiancà (C) and that unleashes the anger of the two women.

It's highly advisable to have a bottle of good wine at hand when watching this. When you take away some of the very familiar elements like midlife crisis, Payne might teach you a thing or two about wine. Or at least how to behave like a true connosieur. "Sideways" probably won't make film history, but it will certainly make your evening. And it did earn Payne an Oscar for best adapted screenplay and writing.