__
____
You will laugh out loud watching this
one. Although a bit on the long side
for an independent or comedy, the pacing
and dialogue of "Sideways"
will keep the interest of anyone who
enjoys a break from the common gunfire-and-chick-flick
Hollywood choices.
____
Director Alexander Payne's latest project,
based on the novel by Rex Pickett, follows
two friends, Miles (Paul Giamatti) and
Jack (Thomas Hayden Church), as they
spend a week escaping their lives along
California's wine country. Miles, a
divorced, failing novelist, leads a
sad life, and the audience is quick
to suspect that he is to blame for most
of his own depression. Miles is intent
on giving his buddy Jack's final week
as a bachelor a cultural flare, and
the two set off on a wine-tasting road
trip. Jack, a fading actor and near
rakehell, is even more intent on getting
Miles to once again enjoy life, and
believes he can accomplish that task
with the help of easy women. The women
they do meet, friends Maya and Stephanie
(well-played by Virginia Madsen and
Sandra Oh, respectively), offer a lot
more interest and companionship than
Miles and Jack had anticipated, and
the subsequent comedic situations follow
very naturally (even if predictable
at times). 
Between
drunken rants, slapstick, poetic love-shy
dialogue, and a great deal of enjoyable
buddy humor, "Sideways" is
also scenic and well-shot with a pleasant
score.
____
Up for seven Golden Globes, I wouldn't
be surprised if "Sideways"
at least gets one for best screenplay
(Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor). Paul
Giamatti delivers a great performance,
and although he is supported superbly
by Church and company, the movie rests
a lot of weight on his shoulders. He
pulls off a character that is all together
pitiful, self-loathing, witty and, strangely
enough, very likable.
____
Yet
I left the theater entertained and
bothered. "Sideways" shouldn't
had worked. It had no high-moral protagonist,
a very overt and simple plot for its
length, it lacked a strong opening,
and the middle montage was almost cheesy.
But it somehow all came together as
a great film --a very unique and witty
work of art! Alexander Payne did it
again. I recommend "Sideways"
highly. Go see it.
Photos
by Fox Searchlight Pictures
-K. Tanaka
__
