Customer Reviews

Sideways (Widescreen Edition)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Sideways explores the darker side of character development and the importance of a good wine! Wine, you say? Yes, the essence of wine as a metaphor of the lives we lead, our hopes for the future and our struggles, occassionally, to glimpse the light in our lives through the haze. It's all about making choices, moral or immoral, and its effects on those who surround us. Anyone searching for a strong character driven movie with a sense of humour and an extraordinary insight into the human experience will be delighted with this quirky, yet endearing story that is ... Sideways!

If you're in the arts at all, this film will make even more sense to you. Certainly, two friends, both "arts oriented," are at a crossroads. Miles is on the cusp of another wasted effort (his latest literary opus is with an obscure publisher, "Conundrum," tottering on yet another rejection) while his actor friend, Jack, has come to realize his better days may be behind him (he's about to "cave in" and get married to a rather conventional, though lovely woman -- and, most likely, follow in the family business). This film is about their last hurrah; before possibly renouncing their youthful dreams of artistic glory.

The character of Miles is just brilliant -- funny, neurotic, self-loathing (and real because of it); he's like a lot artist friends I know. (Okay, actually, he's like ME.) His friend, Jack, appears more stable and "together" yet he too (as we later find out) is racked with insecurities and self-doubt.

In many ways, this is a coming-of-age, buddy flick; it's about making certain crucial "adjustments" and fully entering adulthood. In my opinion, the friendship is based on an unspoken mutual support; they both value the idea of clinging onto their artistic hopes despite the pressing needs of finding a way to support themselves and some kind of adult stability.

And of course the film is also about "moving on" -- and the loss of youthful male friendship. This road trip is, in effect, a wake for their friendship. As Jack intends to marry, both Miles and Jack realize (without ever mentioning it) that things will never be the same. Marriage is often the final nail in the coffin of friendship between men (as, often, with women). Later, there is even a quote from the novel, A Separate Peace, in which a funeral is described -- and in which the comparison is clearly drawn.

Anyway, a great film. A FUNNY film -- my review may have painted it as "gloomy" when it is not. It's VERY entertaining and lively. It's an unconventional, character-driven film for grown-ups that is FUN!

In addition to this movie, I also need recommend another Amazon pick, a comic novel, "THE LOSERS' CLUB: Complete Restored Edition" by Richard Perez, which deals with similar themes of loss and friendships while also managing to be quite funny, lively, and off the cuff. An easy read with short chapters and funny characters, set in pre-9/11 New York City. A great Amazon pick!

If you're in the arts at all, this film will make even more sense to you. Certainly, two friends, both "arts oriented," are at a crossroads. Miles is on the cusp of another wasted effort (his latest literary opus is with an obscure publisher, "Conundrum," tottering on yet another rejection) while his actor friend, Jack, has come to realize his better days may be behind him (he's about to "cave in" and get married to a rather conventional, though lovely woman -- and, most likely, follow in the family business). This film is about their last hurrah; before possibly renouncing their youthful dreams of artistic glory.

The character of Miles is just brilliant -- funny, neurotic, self-loathing (and real because of it); he's like a lot artist friends I know. (Okay, actually, he's like ME.) His friend, Jack, appears more stable and "together" yet he too (as we later find out) is racked with insecurities and self-doubt.

In many ways, this is a coming-of-age, buddy flick; it's about making certain crucial "adjustments" and fully entering adulthood. In my opinion, the friendship is based on an unspoken mutual support; they both value the idea of clinging onto their artistic hopes despite the pressing needs of finding a way to support themselves and some kind of adult stability.

And of course the film is also about "moving on" -- and the loss of youthful male friendship. This road trip is, in effect, a wake for their friendship. As Jack intends to marry, both Miles and Jack realize (without ever mentioning it) that things will never be the same. Marriage is often the final nail in the coffin of friendship between men (as, often, with women). Later, there is even a quote from the novel, A Separate Peace, in which a funeral is described -- and in which the comparison is clearly drawn.

Anyway, a great film. A FUNNY film -- my review may have painted it as "gloomy" when it is not. It's VERY entertaining and lively. It's an unconventional, character-driven film for grown-ups that is FUN!

In addition to this movie, I also need recommend another Amazon pick, a comic novel, "THE LOSERS' CLUB: Complete Restored Edition" by Richard Perez, which deals with similar themes of loss and friendships while also managing to be quite funny, lively, and off the cuff. An easy read with short chapters and funny characters, set in pre-9/11 New York City. A great Amazon pick!

Alexander Payne's 'Sideways' is a fabulous film about two guys just trying to have some fun before it's to late. The film is one of those rare breeds, which is so comfortable and at ease with it's own style and dialogue, that we rarely question the characters motives and concerns because they seem so real. Personaly, I think it's a films message is; it's never to late to find yourself and it doesn't matter how you do it. We saw a similar atmosphere created with Payne's 'About Schmidt' and there was probably no director better for the job than him. Strong performances all around in one of the better films of 2004.

bon films malgré que un peu long car tourne en rond un peu mais assez drole aussi , beau plan de paysage

Teacher and would-be writer Miles (Paul Giamatti) takes his actor pal Jack (Thomas Hayden Church) on a trip to the California wine country to celebrate Jack's impending marriage. Miles is a wine lover and wants to educate Jack on the best wines, while Jack just wants to sew his last wild oats.

This is a dramedy about ordinary people dealing with frustration, failure, and loneliness. Giamatti plays the sad-sack loser well, but his character is weak and unremarkable while Church is repulsive as an irresponsible, juvenile lout. The story has some humor but is ultimately grim and depressing. There isn't much action and a lot of the dialogue sounds like a lecture on wine. There is pervasive profanity and full nudity. Not recommended.

I've heard a lot of people rave about this film, and that, combined with the awards that it won, made me think that I'd enjoy the movie. Well, not so much. While the movie had its funny moments, I didn't really like either of the main characters, and the idea of a 'last romp' before the wedding turned me off. Beyond that, I felt that you must have to be a wine drinker to 'get' this movie.

It had its amusing moments, but overall, I found that this movie didn't live up to my expectations.

This movie entertained me. It's story was cute, it's characters were interesting most of the time, and it made me laugh. Having said that, there was nothing more to it than that. A simple, well told story, nothing more, nothing less. I will probably never watch it again, and that is fine with me.

I did not like this movie. It did not live up to the hype or the endorsements on the box!!!!
The story is about two former college roomates, who now look to be about 40 on a trip into California wine country the week before one of the guys gets married. This guy - an actor - is just out to have a wild week and finds a wild girl to have it with. Unfortunately, she thought he actually cared about her and is devastated to learn he is getting married on Saturday. That is what you get for sleeping with a guy on the first date on the day you met him! The other guy is depressed following his divorce (two years prior) and is a rejected author to boot. Although morally more circumspect, he is depressing to look at and listen to. The rare comedic moments centre on this guy... and they can be funny. Especially the wine tasting scene and the wallet scene.
It ends with a ? too and those movies can be anoying. I would not recommend this one at all.

For all the hype so many people gave me about this movie, I was so dissappointed in the film, I found both characters annoying. You've got the depressed divorced guy who can't let go of his ex, and can't see a wonderful and much better looking woman (which Mya turned out to be compared to the guy's ex wife) and the overly eager and incredibly stupid friend who turns out to be a completely disloyal and dishonest jerk who cheats on the woman he's to marry in about a week, with anything he can find, we're suppose to find this funny? Gross and pointless. The movie just drags on and didn't touch me in any way mostly cause I think mid life crisis is such an excuse for people to blame others and forces beyond their control for the failures in their life. I think even people searching for meaning in their life would be thinking thank god I'm not as bad as these two losers. The three funniest scenes were the motercycle helmet beating, the drink and dial comment and the golf scene. So if you want to see fifteen minutes of humor rent it, otherwise watch something else. And put your $5 to better use.