Sideways

Already garlanded with many Academy Award nominations, all of them justifiably given, Sideways is that rare treat, a road movie that manages to be both realistic and to tickle the brain cells. As a comedy it focuses on the life of a 40-something writer (played by doeful comic performer Paul Giamatti who also glitzed American Splendour with a memorable performance) and his womanizing friend who used to star in films once. Both have seen better days in terms of their careers, and this is supposed to be a pre-Wedding weekend when both will let their hair down a bit. The trouble is that both have differing ideas about what constitutes a stag weekend away.

For one, the chance to sample fine wines and enjoy a racy comment with a female wine vendor is enough, for the other, only something truly sexual and physical will do. Its clear this buddy-buddy relationship is headed for rockier moments.

The trick is in the superb dialogue, the set-up and the talent of the performances. Sideways seems unlike so many studio films today, simply because it gives the characters time to show off hidden depths and different facets of their make-up. Each is going on a journey and maybe they will come closer or take divergent paths, no clues, but its great finding out.

Plus how many films have you seen about wine lovers and a film that gently mocks the industry of wine-tasting ? Not many, if any, and with Giamatti in fine form, Sideways fully deserves all the Academy Award nominations its been given. It’s a film showing 'real' people and real people's lives and its very funny in places. Recommended.

Matt Arnoldi