Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti), is a divorced English teacher who is going to be best-man at his friend Jack's (Thomas Haden Church) wedding. Miles is taking Jack on a trip from San Diego to upstate California, to the wine country, as a kind of "stag" trip.
Miles has a "thing" for wine... he's a connoisseur of of sorts. Jack, on the other hand, is along for the ride in hopes of getting laid on the trip before he gets married the following Saturday.
While eating in a small restaurant one night, Jack and Miles meet Maya (Virginia Madsen), a woman Miles has known for some time. Miles likes her, but he is not sure if she reciprocates. Jack immediatly tries to set them up. Meanwhile, Jack is also busy with his own little affair, a woman named Stephanie (Sandra Oh).
But while Jack and Stephanie live it up, Miles realises that Maya could just be the women he has been two years waiting for since his most painful divorce.
Sideways: all you ever wanted to know about wine in 2 hours and four minutes.
Well deserving of recognition for his role in Sideways, Paul Giamatti was snubbed of an Oscar nomination for his role as the semi-drunk looser, Miles. His on-screen partner, Thomas Haden Church wasn't as good as Giamatti was, but was deserving of the nomination none-the-less.
Sideways is a film that wants to be a romantic comedy but just isn't. Sideways tries to hook up two lonely people who are quite the same and quite in love, but leaves you hanging on for more at every turn.
The movie is often funny, and even hystarical at times, yet the laughs never overpower. Director Alexander Payne adds a dash of comedy while utilizing the laugh factor, adds a touch of romance, and mixes everything well into a great story. Director Payne also cast actors who wouldn't be the first to come to mind, but ones that make the roles their own. Actors who stop you from placing anyone else in their shoes.
Plot: 
Visual Effects: 
The California cinematography (the foothills, lush green foliage and row upon row of grape vine) is extremely beautiful (like that in Diarios de motocicleta (The Motorcycle Diaries).
Another neat feature of the film is the split-screen images; four things going on at one time. Though only done once, it was well worth it.
Sound: 
Character Development:
There is a terrific transformation in Miles from that... well, what ever he started out as, to the Miles who is in love with Maya and is more confident in himself.
Atmosphere:
As stated above, Sideways is all you ever wanted to know about wine in 2 hours and four minutes. The first word of the entire film is "fuck," but that shouldn't stop you from seeing this wonderful film. for the wine connoisseur, you'll love it.
Realism:
Warren’s Rating:
Movies it was nominated with for Best Picture:
The Aviator; Finding Neverland; Million Dollar Baby; Ray
8.86/10 Is the movie worth your time to watch?
25-02-05
