Sideways
SIDEWAYS (15)
D: Alexander Payne
20th Century Fox (Michael London)
US 2004
126 mins
Comedy/Drama
W: Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor [based
on the novel by Rex Pickett]
DP: Phedon Papamichael
Ed: Kevin Tent
Mus: Rolfe Kent
Paul Giamatti (Miles Raymond), Thomas
Haden Church (Jack Cole), Virginia Madsen (Maya Randall), Sandra Oh (Stephanie), Jessica Hecht (Victoria)
Two
middle-aged men, one a neurotic, divorced writer and the other a struggling actor about to marry, learn about love, life and fine wine when they go on a road trip through California's
wine country a week before the latter’s wedding.
It’s a little
slow moving through the first act, bogged down by the depression of Paul Giamatti’s Miles Raymond character, but it finds its way in the second act when hump-happy Jack Lopate (Church)
uses the trip as a way to have one last hurrah.
The sharp performances, full-bodied direction and quaffable
screenplay can't be faulted, but much like a Beaujolais, it won't be for everyone’s taste.
8/10
