Movie #42 -- Sideways

Title: Sideways

Director: Alexander Payne

Release Year: 2004

Plot Summary: 2 friends visit California's wine country for a week while as a "sending off" for one of them who is about to get married.

Thoughts: Sideways almost plays like a buddy-road trip comedy, but it is much too smart for that. Paul Giammati plays a divorced middle-aged man who is obsessed with fine wine and his writing. Thomas Hayde Church (remember NBC's Wings?) was nominated for an Oscar for his work here as the strangely loveable groom-to-be who is both dispicable and endearing.

A very fine ensemble piece here, with strong acting all around and very good writing throughout. Certainly not the best picture of 2004 (that would/should have Eternal Sunshine...), but a very strong movie nonetheless.

My only complaint is that at the end of the film, director Alexander Payne switches gears a bit too drastically. All of a sudden, the movie loses it's light-heartedness and a turns (dare i say) a bit dark. Maybe the darkness in the film was there all along and I failed to realize it.

Rating (0-10): 8.2

Recomendations: I'd recommend this to most anyone with an attention span longer than the average fan of Alien Vs. Predator. Think of this movie as Dumb and Dumber meets American Beauty. Certainly worth renting, and worth owning if you are into dvd collecting.