The first time I saw SIDEWAYS was in late October with most of the major critics from Phoenix, Arizona. I skipped work because I was going out of town when the evening screening was going to be on, and I have always enjoyed Alexander Payne's films. After watching the movie, I felt like I was on a enjoyable and exciting ride. I felt surprised and excited about watching this movie, and I immediately called all of my friends on my cellular and told them to, GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!
Now four months later, and four viewings later, I still hold a enjoyable soft spot for SIDEWAYS, as being the best unexpected film I've seen in 2004, I had no idea what to expect with this film, and being one of the funniest films of all time! Not since ROYAL TENENBAUMS have I seen a comedy, where I keep laughing just as much the fourth time, as I did the first time.
SIDEWAYS, is a simple tale, failed writer Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) decides to take his long time friend Jack (Thomas Hayden Church) out on a last fling to the California Wine Country before Jack gets married. Miles intention is to show Jack the awe and greatness that wine has to offer. Jack's intentions for the trip is to get laid as many times possible before he's married.
Along the trip, Jack (and the viewer) is introduced to Maya (Virgina Madsen), a waitress at the Hitching Post, a restaurant that Miles visits enough to where Maya and Miles already know each other. Then at one of the wineries, Jack meets Stephanie (Sandra Oh) a sexually active single mom who is attracted to Jack, yet doesn't know about his marriage plans.
From there on, the viewer, along with Miles and Jack, are taken for a enjoyable and unforgettable trip that is touching, depressing, exciting, and very very humorous.
What makes this Payne's best film is that first, his characters are very real. Yea, I have met over-achievers like Tracy Flick (ELECTION) and women who don't have a clue like Ruth (CITIZEN RUTH), and my father reminds me of Warren Schmidt (ABOUT SCHMIDT), but the character of Miles is one of the few cinematic characters that I can relate to.
First, who hasn't taken money from their mother? Such as the scene when Miles and Jack visit Miles' mother, then sneaks up to her bedroom and takes some of her saved money to finance their trip? Second, there is that love that you thought could work and tried so hard, yet it failed, and you sit there wondering what went wrong, such as Miles with his ex-wife Victoria. Third, why is it that opposites attract when it comes to friendship? Miles, the intellect, loves wine, literature, movies, and golf. While Jack, the handsome one, loves flirting with women, then having sex with them. These two men are so very different, yet they remain best friends, despite all of their ordeals.
Then there are the little things that Payne does with this film. Such as the characters having "bed heads"; driving not too fancy cars; being a little overweight; the protagonist purchasing an issue of "Barely Legal" (the new issue); the characters are not glamorous; having not too fancy jobs (Miles is a junior high English teacher; Jack is a voice over for commercials; Maya is a waitress; and Stephanie is a server). But it's those little realistic elements that make SIDEWAYS such a classic film! It's those touches that make Alexander Payne a unique and distinguished storyteller, and a great filmmaker.
Finally there is the dialogue. Despite this film being full of conversation, the dialogue is great! Miles going ballistic and threatens to leave if Maya or Stephanie orders an Merlot. Jack asking Miles if he "drink and dialed." Stephanie with her subtle and calmness around Miles, but totally different around Jack. And Maya, the type of girl that many men dream of. The monologue that Madsen gives to Giamatti about the reason why she loves wine is a fantastic and very emotional monologue.
I am so glad that SIDWAYS is getting the recognition that it deserves. This film DOES deserve to be nominated for Best Picture, Payne did a fantastic job directing, both Church and Madsen did excellent jobs with their performances, and Payne and Taylor adapted a wonderful story into a classic screenplay.
But my heart goes out to Paul Giamatti, why did he get ignored? His performance of Miles was fantastic and great!!! But since it's pretty obvious that this years Best Actor is going to be singing "What I'd Say" after hearing his name announced (that's Jamie Foxx kids), Giamatti should have at least get recognition for his wonderful performance. Yet DiCapprio was excellent as Howard Hughes, Chadle was great in HOTEL RWANDA, Depp is and will always be good, Foxx did do a great job as Ray Charles, and I'm glad that Eastwood is getting recognized for his acting ability as well as his directing.
SIDEWAYS is one of those films that a few more years from now, everyone will be quoting it, "I'm not drinking Merlot!" "Did you go into the dark side?" Some people won't admit it, but SIDEWAYS is the type of film that begins trends, when so many movies follow them. A lot of people my age praised other Fox Searchlight films from 2004, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE and GARDEN STATE are the two movies that most people my age talk about and praise. SIDEWAYS is my type of movie, and I feel that forty years from now, this film will still be discussed. It is a pure classic! ***** (out of five)
Now four months later, and four viewings later, I still hold a enjoyable soft spot for SIDEWAYS, as being the best unexpected film I've seen in 2004, I had no idea what to expect with this film, and being one of the funniest films of all time! Not since ROYAL TENENBAUMS have I seen a comedy, where I keep laughing just as much the fourth time, as I did the first time.
SIDEWAYS, is a simple tale, failed writer Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) decides to take his long time friend Jack (Thomas Hayden Church) out on a last fling to the California Wine Country before Jack gets married. Miles intention is to show Jack the awe and greatness that wine has to offer. Jack's intentions for the trip is to get laid as many times possible before he's married.
Along the trip, Jack (and the viewer) is introduced to Maya (Virgina Madsen), a waitress at the Hitching Post, a restaurant that Miles visits enough to where Maya and Miles already know each other. Then at one of the wineries, Jack meets Stephanie (Sandra Oh) a sexually active single mom who is attracted to Jack, yet doesn't know about his marriage plans.
From there on, the viewer, along with Miles and Jack, are taken for a enjoyable and unforgettable trip that is touching, depressing, exciting, and very very humorous.
What makes this Payne's best film is that first, his characters are very real. Yea, I have met over-achievers like Tracy Flick (ELECTION) and women who don't have a clue like Ruth (CITIZEN RUTH), and my father reminds me of Warren Schmidt (ABOUT SCHMIDT), but the character of Miles is one of the few cinematic characters that I can relate to.
First, who hasn't taken money from their mother? Such as the scene when Miles and Jack visit Miles' mother, then sneaks up to her bedroom and takes some of her saved money to finance their trip? Second, there is that love that you thought could work and tried so hard, yet it failed, and you sit there wondering what went wrong, such as Miles with his ex-wife Victoria. Third, why is it that opposites attract when it comes to friendship? Miles, the intellect, loves wine, literature, movies, and golf. While Jack, the handsome one, loves flirting with women, then having sex with them. These two men are so very different, yet they remain best friends, despite all of their ordeals.
Then there are the little things that Payne does with this film. Such as the characters having "bed heads"; driving not too fancy cars; being a little overweight; the protagonist purchasing an issue of "Barely Legal" (the new issue); the characters are not glamorous; having not too fancy jobs (Miles is a junior high English teacher; Jack is a voice over for commercials; Maya is a waitress; and Stephanie is a server). But it's those little realistic elements that make SIDEWAYS such a classic film! It's those touches that make Alexander Payne a unique and distinguished storyteller, and a great filmmaker.
Finally there is the dialogue. Despite this film being full of conversation, the dialogue is great! Miles going ballistic and threatens to leave if Maya or Stephanie orders an Merlot. Jack asking Miles if he "drink and dialed." Stephanie with her subtle and calmness around Miles, but totally different around Jack. And Maya, the type of girl that many men dream of. The monologue that Madsen gives to Giamatti about the reason why she loves wine is a fantastic and very emotional monologue.
I am so glad that SIDWAYS is getting the recognition that it deserves. This film DOES deserve to be nominated for Best Picture, Payne did a fantastic job directing, both Church and Madsen did excellent jobs with their performances, and Payne and Taylor adapted a wonderful story into a classic screenplay.
But my heart goes out to Paul Giamatti, why did he get ignored? His performance of Miles was fantastic and great!!! But since it's pretty obvious that this years Best Actor is going to be singing "What I'd Say" after hearing his name announced (that's Jamie Foxx kids), Giamatti should have at least get recognition for his wonderful performance. Yet DiCapprio was excellent as Howard Hughes, Chadle was great in HOTEL RWANDA, Depp is and will always be good, Foxx did do a great job as Ray Charles, and I'm glad that Eastwood is getting recognized for his acting ability as well as his directing.
SIDEWAYS is one of those films that a few more years from now, everyone will be quoting it, "I'm not drinking Merlot!" "Did you go into the dark side?" Some people won't admit it, but SIDEWAYS is the type of film that begins trends, when so many movies follow them. A lot of people my age praised other Fox Searchlight films from 2004, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE and GARDEN STATE are the two movies that most people my age talk about and praise. SIDEWAYS is my type of movie, and I feel that forty years from now, this film will still be discussed. It is a pure classic! ***** (out of five)