Written by Jaden Shniderman
Photo Courtesy of All the Classics
Sideways is directed by Alexander Payne and stars Paul Giammatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, and Sandra Oh. It is based on the novel by Rex Pickett . The movie follows Miles and Jack, two middle aged friends who take a trip through the wine country of California for the latter’s bachelor party. Throw in Maya and Stephanie, two women who begin flings with the men, along with wine tasting, failed aspirations, golf, finally a pure hatred for Merlot and you get the masterpiece that is Sideways.
For me, Sideways was one of those films that didn’t exactly have a strong impression on me when I first finished the movie, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how profound Sideways really is. Cinema throughout the years romanticizes the human experience, but Sideways is immune to the romanticization of the silver screen, offering an honest look at humanity, warts and all. Our two protagonists are not King Arthurs, they are human. We are watching the story of two unremarkable, ordinary men navigate through a new chapter of their lives. Same goes for our female leads Maya and Stephanie, two lost souls trying to get through each day. Their humanity gives the audience empathy towards them, even in their weakest moments.
One aspect I really loved about this movie was the many ways you could interpret the story. While it can be interpreted as a road trip comedy the way I see it, it’s a tragedy. Throughout the movie, the audience watches as Jack and Miles throw away their dreams, mourn their youths, and imagine a life where they weren’t such failures. A quote that really made an impression on me regarding this detail was said by Miles, after his failure to publish his book:
“Half my life is over and I have nothing to show for it. Nothing. I'm a thumbprint on the window of a skyscraper. I'm a smudge of excrement on a tissue surging out to sea with a million tons of raw sewage.”
The idea of giving up on what you love is one of the saddest feelings one can experience. Sideways portrays the acceptance of failure beautifully, but also beautifully portrays a hope for a better life far from an acceptance of failure. That hope is what separates Miles and Jack in the end, with Jack accepting his status as a has-been actor, while Miles learns to find meaning in his writing again.
On an acting scale, this movie is a masterpiece. The delivery of each line from all the actors made Sideways so real that I felt I was intruding on the events of the story. Paul Giamatti was amazing as Miles. His comedic timing, emotional reactions, and body language were all outstanding. I think about the scene where he meets his ex wife and finds out she’s pregnant, you feel his emotion on every level. When his heart breaks, your heart breaks. Thomas Haden Church plays a fantastic straight man, both anchoring and amplifying the antics of Miles. Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen are so endearing in this film, you can’t help but root for their characters.
Alexander Payne’s directing is fascinating. He transported us into the world of Sideways, forbidding us from being viewers, converting us into characters into each scene.
The cinematography is poetic and overlooked. Each shot informs us of the theme, suggesting a dreamy day getaway with intimate nights filled with soul searching.
Sideways has one of the most beautiful screenplays of all time, each line of dialogue is so eloquent. I look back on Miles’ soliloquy where he talks about his love for Pinot. He simultaneously reveals how he views the world and deeper than that, how he views himself. Because the movie is a tragedy disguised as a comedy, the movie brilliantly switches from hilarious to poignant in a heartbeat. One scene that stands out is when Miles hears about Victoria, his ex wife’s remarriage and runs through a vineyard like a maniac, while Jack must chase him. While this is a moment of sadness for Miles, it’s hard not to find humor in the way he frolics into the vineyard, downing an entire bottle of wine, while Jack chases him. The whole screenplay is one big poem and it’s academy award for best adapted screenplay was well earned.
Sideways is a must see film for everyone. Funny, tragic, profound, but above all else, a film that asks us to reflect on our humanity.
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