Sideways

Rob Babcock · « **on:** 18 Apr 2005, 06:12 am »

I finally got the chance to see this one tonight, and I will say it lives up to all the buzz. Very well written and acted. I love that it never rings false or lets anyone off the hook. Thomas Haden Church particularly impressed me as I'd only ever known him as "Lowell" from Wings.!

Two thumbs, way up!

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Apr 2005, 02:02 pm »

Rob, I really wanna' see this one....Thomas Haden Church also played 'Ned' on short lived series Ned & Stacey. It was short lived, but he was an absolute draw. Funny, he was.

Stacey was played by Debra Messing. Good casting, for sure.

Also, Paul Giamatti is one of those great, mostly unsung, character actors in so many movies of the past 10 years. I remember him notably in Man on the Moon and Private Parts (the Howard Stern movie a few years back)

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Apr 2005, 06:55 pm »

Giamatti was brilliant, too. It's a great story about a couple of college buddies going on a wine tasting road trip for one last week of freedom before Jack (played by Haden Church) gets married. But it's not a buddy movie or road movie in any conventional sense, and few of the traditional plot deviced are employed. Jack and Miles are both likeable but deeply flawed guys with some serious issues that play out thru the film. And the movie gives them no deus ex machina rescue from their problems, either. All in all a very good flick, with some great writing and some good comedic moments, too.

I think the casting was superb. Thomas Haden Church was so taken with the script that he came out of semi-retirement for the role, and it's hard to imagine it being played better. Giamatti projects enough likeability into Miles that his self pity and self loathing draws understanding, even sympathy. And Virginia Madsen does a great job, too. She's still beautiful enough to catch a man's eye but just weathered enough to be plausible as the love interest.

zybar · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Apr 2005, 07:14 pm »

Quote from: TheChairGuy

Rob, I really wanna' see this one....Thomas Haden Church also played 'Ned' on short lived series Ned & Stacey. It was short lived, but he was an absolute draw. Funny, he was.

Stacey was played by Debra Messing. Good casting, for sure.

Also, Paul Giamatti is one of those great, mostly unsung, character actors in so many movies of the past 10 years. I remember him notably in Man on the Moon and Private Parts (the Howard Stern movie a few years back)

Absolutely get this movie and see it.

Very well done and it will keep you rolling in the aisles.

BTW, we must be a select few who actually watched Ned and Stacey. I also thought it was funny and snappy show.

George

Carlman · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Apr 2005, 07:24 pm »

I thought it was a great flick... It's basically a romance novel for guys.

I had a bachelor's party/retreat that was somewhat similar a few years ago... Things didn't get quite as crazy as in the movie but there were a lot of other similarities.... Mostly that the wacky, wild guy isn't always right... and that being a little shy isn't all bad...

I kept waiting for the Hollywood cliche's but they weren't there. It's essentially a short-story that was cut to the right length so that it was entertaining without glitz and interesting enough not to drag on and on...

Good stuff.

BTW, along these lines, I saw Garden State... another odd movie. Odd in that I can't believe it was popular. I wouldn't think most people would've liked Sideways or Garden State.... While I see all the folks hovering around xXx and all the crappy 'latest releases' at the movie store, Sideways just doesn't fit.

Anyway, Garden State was not as good as Sideways in any way but it was still entertaining... and quircky. Both of these I'd want to see twice to just to get the nuances I'm sure I missed.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Apr 2005, 07:31 pm »

Yeah, this was a guys chick flick in a way!

SPOILER ALERT! Don't read if you haven't seen the flick!

I was glad to see that the old cliches are mostly unused. In a lesser movie Miles would fess up to betraying Jacks secret to Maya, then be forgiven. Jack's fiance would learn of his infidelities but agree to marry him anyway. Miles book would get published and Maya would open that door and throw her arms around him, and they'd live happily ever after. But not in Sideways. The movie couldn't be honest and yet resolve this guys deep wounds and problems all in two hours and five minutes.

The ex-wifes last twist of the knife at the end was a nice touch; how much more can he take? In the end, we're left with the image of Miles simply going on as best he can, trying to make the best of a crappy situation. I like to think Maya opened that door, but the movie was right not to tell us.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 Apr 2005, 08:41 pm »

Interesting first 70 minutes. Then I had to shut this off - I guess it is just not for me.

I did like some of what was done, but all in all, not my kind of flick!

I really liked the wine angle, that was fun - now, let's all go buy some Pinot!

ted_b · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 Apr 2005, 09:08 pm »

Great movie....we had our next door neighbors over to see it Saturday, and our middle son (14 yr old) watched it with us! Yikes.

Well, we kept telling him "dont do this when you grow up...." stuff like that. Actually, it's nothing he hasn't seen or heard before. But I truly think the later-in-the-movie-bed-and-running-after-them scene (if you know what I mean...no spoilers) was a bit shocking for him. Might have been a bad choice from Mom and Dad, but oh well, we talked about it a lot afterwards.

Yes, a wonderfully funny and poignant movie at the same time.

Ted

PhilNYC · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 12:45 pm »

Quote from: mcgsxr

I really liked the wine angle, that was fun - now, let's all go buy some Pinot!

There was an article in the NYTimes a few months ago (after Sideways started getting a lot of recognition) about how this movie was affecting wine sales...basically saying that Pinot Noir sales were on the rise, and Merlots were dropping...

Jay S · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 01:24 pm »

Good movie. My wife and I watched at home while drinking a nice bottle of pinot noir!

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 01:49 pm »

Hey, I finally caught this the other week, and like Mark/mcgsxr, I was underwhelmed by it. Ditto for my wife.

To each is own I guess....

PSP · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 01:51 pm »

I liked it too... but it's changed forever the way I look at motorcycle helmets!

Pete

TheeeChosenOne · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 05:19 pm »

Quote from: PhilNYC

Quote from: mcgsxr

I really liked the wine angle, that was fun - now, let's all go buy some Pinot!

There was an article in the NYTimes a few months ago (after Sideways started getting a lot of recognition) about how this movie was affecting wine sales...basically saying that Pinot Noir sales were on the rise, and Merlots were dropping...

My wife has always been high on Pinot and hates Merlot. She laughed that the movie paid homage to Pinot by giving it its just due respect.

Tyson · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 05:51 pm »

There was a lot to like about this, not the least of which the way it points up how obssesive hobbies can become (can you say audiophile, etc...). It was good and just narrowly missed greatness. Still, I applaud the effort to make a somewhat difficult movie while maintaining fairly broad appeal with the American public.

Jon L · « **Reply #14 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 08:27 pm »

It would be a good 1 AM movie on cable/satelite on a boring night.

My problem with it was it had aspirations of realism and everyday-life issues, which was undone by the fact that waitress (still a looker despite some "aging") would ever go for an ugly, whiny, obnoxious, depressed guy like that!

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 09:56 pm »

Quote from: Jon L

My problem with it was it had aspirations of realism and everyday-life issues, which was undone by the fact that waitress (still a looker despite some "aging") would ever go for an ugly, whiny, obnoxious, depressed guy like that!

Hey, I might just re-semble that remark.....

JohnnyLightOn · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 10:49 pm »

I think Sideways is brilliant. The depth of the characters, how real they are, what they say and what they do, how darkly funny they are...this is the absolute height of this kind of movie-making right now. In comparison, most movies are a shallow rehash.

But Sideways is not for everyone, just like any kind of art is not for everyone. Most people like pizza. But only some people will like foie gras or a spicy Thai curry (and some people love foie gras but don't like spicy curry, etc.). Sideways' appeal is smaller than that of a mainstream movie. Most people are unenthused by it, but those of us who like this kind of move love it.

Also, your expectations play a large part in how you experience a movie. If you see a movie with very high expectations, you're often disappointed. If you see it with no expectations, you'll be more likely to enjoy it.

Edited to add: Jon L.'s comment about the gorgeous waitress going for the loser definitely strikes to the biggest flaw in the movie. She was too good looking to make it totally believable. You have to buy into this relationship, and chalk it up to her interest in wine and intellectuals and writers, in order to enjoy the movie.

zybar · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 10:54 pm »

Quote from: Jon L

It would be a good 1 AM movie on cable/satelite on a boring night.

My problem with it was it had aspirations of realism and everyday-life issues, which was undone by the fact that waitress (still a looker despite some "aging") would ever go for an ugly, whiny, obnoxious, depressed guy like that!

I have seen much "worse" combinations in real life.

Had me scratching my head wondering how they hell did they get together?

Heck, many ask my wife that very question...

George

lcrim · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 Jun 2005, 05:40 pm »

Merlot -Its not just for breakfast anymore!

A movie which celebrates dysfunction so thoroughly is bound to be popular but I expected more.

JeffB · « **Reply #19 on:** 15 Jun 2005, 08:37 pm »

I liked it a lot. I have to agree with what JohnnyLightOn stated. He said it better than I could. I had no expectations when I saw it. I did not even know what it was about. I still laugh at the line "We're not drinking any f'ing Merlot." However, everybody I have told that line to, has never gotten it.