November 23, 2004
Sideways
Sideways is a movie about two men who go out on "one last week of freedom" in the wine country of California before one of them gets married the next Saturday. Miles is played by Paul Giamatti in his wonderfully neurotic and irritable fashion, which is both enjoyable and repulsive at the same time. Somehow this movie manages to make him just loveable enough to make the audience want happiness with him despite the fact that he stops by his mom's house on the way up north on the pretense of celebrating her birthday just so he can steal several hundred dollar bills from her underwear drawer.
Miles is an English teacher who is also a writer - a divorced and unpublished writer. His friend Jack, played by Thomas Haden Church of TV show "Wings", is a womanizing actor who never quite struck it big after a stint on a soap opera several years back. His mission is to have sex with someone before he gets married in a week. The completely oddball combo of these two men is interesting - Miles knows a lot about wine and wants to have a relaxing time with his friend for a week while his friend wants Miles to stop being depressed about his unpublished status and have a good time.
Their adventures for the week start simple and, of course, escalate. The story is essentially about Miles, but Miles would never get anywhere in this movie without the odd things that happen to him when he's with Jack.
What I enjoyed about this movie was its sense of humor, which runs from jokes about not drinking Merlot to some funny physical comedy. Giamatti and Church are great together, and the women they meet play the part perfectly. It was clever, touching at times, and enjoyable experience.
The only thing I didn't really care for was the music. I mean, I know they're in wine country, but do I have to spend the whole two hours listening to bland piano jazz and the like? I don't know. I guess it's just personal preference, but you know what kind of music I'm talking about, right? Bleh.
Anyway, it was a little bit less than I expected, although I'm not quite sure I can put the finger on why I feel that way. It was amusing and a little bit charming mixed with a little bit of crassness. Fun while it lasted.
Posted by wendytime at November 23, 2004 08:46 AM | TrackBack