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 There’s
nothing wrong with doing whatever it takes to follow your dreams,
but after so many years of making personal and professional sacrifices
with little or no results, there comes a point in time where you
just have to throw in the towel, call it a day, and move on. Okay,
so that may be a depressing way to start off a film review, but
let’s face it: life’s a bitch, and most people never accomplish
the grand things that they set out to do.
And you know
what? That’s okay, especially if you can honestly say that you
gave it your best shot. After all, The Rolling Stones said it
best when they sang, “You can’t always get what you want, but
if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need.”
That harsh,
but refreshing dose of reality is just one of the reasons why
“Sideways” is one of the best films of the year. Not only does
the latest movie from Alexander Payne -- the gifted writer-director
behind 1999’s “Election” and 2002’s “About
Schmidt” -- fit the bill as a well-written, beautifully acted
and ultimately moving dramedy, but it also stands alongside some
of the best character driven classics that defined the cinema
of the 70’s.
Miles (Paul
Giamatti) is not a happy man. He’s still smarting from an emotionally
painful divorce two years ago, and he’s stuck paying the bills
as a reluctant English teacher while anxiously awaiting the status
of his still-unpublished novel. The only thing that gives his
life any meaning is his passion for wine, which is why he can’t
wait to take off for the vineyards of central California with
his washed-up actor buddy Jack (Thomas Haden Church). Miles wants
to show the soon-to-be-married Jack the finer delicacies of wine
tasting, but Jack has his heart set on sowing his wild oats during
his last week of freedom. What starts off as a relaxing getaway
for this odd couple turns into an emotional crisis, as both men
are forced to face the realities of lost youth, failed ambitions
and uncertain futures.
In many ways,
“Sideways” has a lot in common with Payne’s last film, “About
Schmidt.” In both movies, the main characters deal with their
impending emotional crisis by taking a road trip that only brings
them closer to the insecurities they are trying to get away from.
Both films also deal with ordinary men who are making a last ditch
effort to accomplish their goals, only to fail miserably and succeed
in other ways that they could never have imagined.
But thanks
to an excellent screenplay by Payne and his longtime collaborator
Jim Taylor (adapted from the book by Rex Pickett), “Sideways”
accurately depicts the lives of two men on the verge of accepting
emotional defeat, albeit in very different ways. While the more
optimistic Jack is still holding on to his actor fantasy in an
effort to nail as many girls as possible, Miles is so pessimistic
about everything that he barely notices the attractive wine enthusiast
who has the hots for him.
“Sideways”
may not feature a recognizable A-list cast, but that’s another
one of its strong points. After being snubbed last Oscar season
for playing a quirky schlub in “American Splendor,” Paul Giamatti
is bound to get his due this time around with his brilliant performance
here. Despite being emotionally beaten and battered, Giamatti
gives his sullen, wounded, insecure sad-sack a sympathetic air
of honesty, especially when he springs to life by the one and
only passion that defines him.
As for the
rest of the cast, who better to play a washed-up actor than a
real washed-up actor? No disrespect to Thomas Haden Church, but
ever since TV’s “Ned and Stacey” went off the air, he’s been relegated
to B-movie schlock like last year’s direct-to-video sequel “George
of the Jungle 2.” Not only does he bounce back to classier fare
with his inspired performance here, but he also has excellent
chemistry with Giamatti. At the same time, Virginia Madsen is
a downright revelation as Giamatti’s wise, intelligent, soulful
love interest, while Sandra Oh (Payne’s real-life wife) is fiercely
sexy and strong as the object of Church’s desire.
Despite the
honest, bittersweet approach that “Sideways” takes in its depiction
of lost hopes, it’s actually a very funny, touching movie about
the bonding power of friendship and the importance of making the
most out of the life you have left. It’s a message that will resonate
long after the house lights come up, which is appropriate, since
like any fine wine, “Sideways” is bound to become a vintage classic
that will only get better with age.
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