Reviews

Having loved About Schmidt I was hopeful that Sideways would provide further evidence of Alexander Payne's unique talent (and that of his writing partner, Jim Taylor). The film does not disappoint. Although he has left behind his favorite Nebraskan settings in favor of Californian vineyards, the movie is recognisably Payne - complete with endearing losers, roadside mishaps, and big-boned naked people. Miles (Giamatti) is a failing author and serious wine connoisseur suffering from ultra-low self esteem. His super-confident former college roommate Jack (Church) is about to get married so the pair embark on a week of pre-wedding bonding. The beauty of the movie stems from this unlikely pairing which is brought to life magnificently by a sharp script and great performances from the male leads. Payne finds comic material in the most mundane situations and many moments are laugh-out-loud funny, but as in About Schmidt and Election the characterisation is so vivid that the film's conclusion carries real emotional weight. Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh provide super support, showing us new sides of both Miles and Jack as their journey becomes increasingly more eventful. About Schmidt was a more moving experience, but Sideways packs in more laughs... and you'll never look at a bottle of wine the same way again.

I saw this movie at the 2004 Rebelfest International Film Festival in Toronto and thought it was excellent. The British teen-movie/college picture is virtually a non-existent genre but on this evidence one has to wonder why. Student life in the UK is full of great stories and situations and this movie captures many of them as it follows a group of friends through their first term at university in Bristol. Paul Foster is particularly good as the reserved Northerner with a secret but the film showcases some fantastic British talent, a number of whom have progressed significantly since the film's completion in 2002 (Naomie Harris for instance went on to appear in 28 Days Later). The film is carefully paced and balances the more leisurely emotional scenes with high-tempo moments of action and comedy to form a really satisfying mix. The non-British audience found some of the dialogue a little hard to follow at times (due to some strong accents) but the chemistry of the characters seemed to win most people over. Great stuff.