Demographics

I found this to be one of the best films I've seen in the past year. I think what you get out of this movie depends greatly on your age and your current situation you find yourself in when you watch it. I am 34 years old, and I would not have liked this movie, say, ten years ago. Ten years ago I loved the movie Swingers, because it had much more appeal for someone in that age group (immediately post-college years). What Swingers and Sideways have in common is that both stories are told from the point of view of the anti-hero (this is pompous literate-speak for "loser"). Both are about someone who has been unlucky in love, having just broken up with their girlfriend/spouse, and the situation made worse by their respective best friends being brashly confident and handsome and thus bedding most any women they want to. I suppose most people can at least relate to the loneliness and self-deprication seen in Paul Giammatti's character (or John Favreau in Swingers), but the more so, the more empathy for that character. People in their teens to twenties might have a more difficult time relating to the situations portrayed in Sideways because they haven't yet experienced that pre-midlife crisis age, when it feels like your options have become desperately slim and your choices you make feel like they are final (as opposed to mid-life crisis age, when you feel like your choices have already been made and finalized, so you go out and buy a sports car to compensate for any perceived shortcomings). Additionally, the more confident and self-assured personality probably will have a difficult time relating to Miles (Paul Giamatti's character) and understanding his neurotic and depressed point-of-view. In the end, this movie isn't for everyone because it wasn't written for everyone (at least this is my impression; it's not like I know Alexander Payne). It should appeal to a certain age and disposition, but for those who can relate at all to Miles, it is written brilliantly.

illiterate reviewer

The previous reviewer -- if you can call her that -- Allison Mcelhany is a hardcore teeneaged video gamer and has no business reviewing a movie this sophisticated.

Sideways

Alexander Payne's 'Sideways' is a fabulous film about two guys just trying to have some fun before it's to late. The film is one of those rare breeds, which is so comfortable and at ease with it's own style and dialogue, that we rarely question the characters motives and concerns because they seem so real. Personaly, I think it's a films message is; it's never to late to find yourself and it doesn't matter how you do it. We saw a similar atmosphere created with Payne's 'About Schmidt' and there was probably no director better for the job than him. Strong performances all around in one of the better films of 2004.