I remember when the trailer for Sideways was first introduced to the public back while I was in college. For those of you who have not seen the trailer, it is available on the DVD and is possibly one of the best trailers I have ever seen for a non-action movie. Upon seeing the trailer I was anticipating a great film and Sideways did not dissapoint.
First off, let me start with a brief acknowledgement that some Sideways fans do not care to admit. The movie in question moves very, very slow and moves from drama to comedy (and back again) so quick, and so frequently that it is often hard to keep up. After seeing it the first time I told all my friends and family to check it out only to have them scold me for reccomending something so "boring."
However, the reason many people hate it happens to be the reason I have such a passion for this film. Alexander Payne directs this film to play out with all the grace and power of a fine opera. It certainly is slow moving, but life can be like that sometimes, and is certainly so for the characters of this film. We see depression and happiness standing side by side, constantly battling for supremecy over the lives of Jack and Miles. Such conflicting emotion takes time to play out properly and therefore the pacing of the movie, albeit slow, is perfect for showing the evolution of how our main characters are going to find happiness.
This brings me to the second critique people often have about this film and that is: What is this? A drama or a comedy? So many people I know were put off by scenes which started very funny only to end with a crushing and depressing moment. For those Payne fans out there, you may remember such techniques being used in the film "About Schmidt." Again, Miles, who suffers from severe depression in the movie has moments when he is funny and uplifting, but that is how life goes. Giamatti, Madsen, Church, and Oh work together incredibly well to put forth this masterpiece of what it means to age in this country alone.
Finally, the mirrors and symbolism between the plot of this movie and the aging and harvesting of grapes was remarkable. Payne did not feel the need to shove the parallels down our throat as an audience, despite the fact that wine was such a prominent role in the film.
Just like a fine bottle of Pinot Noir, Sideways proves that subtlety and great care during its making can produce a very satisfying, and haunting, finished product.