Sideways (2004)

Two men reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment embark on a week-long road trip through California's wine country, just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle.

Director:

Alexander Payne

Writers:

Rex Pickett (novel), Alexander Payne (screenplay)

Stars:

Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen

Won 1 Oscar. Another 122 wins & 88 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Giamatti	...	Miles
Thomas Haden Church	...	Jack
Virginia Madsen	...	Maya
Sandra Oh	...	Stephanie
Marylouise Burke	...	Miles's Mother
Jessica Hecht	...	Victoria
Missy Doty	...	Cammi
M.C. Gainey	...	Cammi's Husband
Alysia Reiner	...	Christine Erganian
Shake Tukhmanyan	...	Mrs. Erganian (as Shaké Toukhmanian)
Shaun Duke	...	Mike Erganian (as Duke Moosekian)
Robert Covarrubias	...	Miles's Building Manager
Patrick Gallagher	...	Gary the Bartender
Stephanie Faracy	...	Stephanie's Mother
Joe Marinelli	...	Frass Canyon Pourer

Storyline

A week before his friend Jack is to be married, best man Miles and the prospective groom head off to wine country for a week of fun, relaxation and - of course - wine drinking. Miles is the oenophile and does his best to teach Jack a bit about the art of appreciating great wine. All Jack cares about is drinking and carousing, something he accomplishes when he meets the attractive Stephanie at one of the vineyards. Miles is something of a sad sack, a high school English teacher who is a failed writer at heart. He has yet to get over the fact that his wife has divorced him and that she has remarried and he now faces that nerve racking wait for word from a prospective publisher. Miles has an opportunity to start anew when he meets Stephanie's friend Maya but when he let's slip that Jack is about to be married any hope of a relationship seems to be lost.

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Plot Keywords:

wine | road trip | vineyard | middle age | wine tasting | 

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Taglines:

In search of wine. In search of women. In search of themselves.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some strong sexual content and nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Fox [Spain] Fox Searchlight

Country:

USA Hungary

Language:

English Armenian

Release Date:

21 January 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sideways

Filming Locations:

1785 South Broadway, Santa Maria, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$207,042, 24 October 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$71,503,593

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$109,706,931

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Michael London Productions, Sideways Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sandra Oh learned how to ride a motorcycle for her part in this film.

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Goofs

As Miles and Jack drive from Los Angeles to Oxnard, the sun is shining in both sides of the car and shadows from the scenery to the right and left all fall on the road.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Miles Raymond: Fuck.

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Crazy Credits

Editorial Cat - Lulu

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Connections

Referenced in Election: Reese Witherspoon (2017)

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Soundtracks

SAD SONGS
Words and Music by David Klingenberger (as David Allen Klingenberger) and Edward M. Rudolph
Performed by Deke Dickerson
Courtesy of Songs of D.K.

User Reviews

Alexander The Great

What a refreshing adventure great writing really is. Through the mind, heart and soul of a filmmaker like Alexander Payne you can enter forbidden territory and dive into experiences that, at first glance, seem so far removed from our own. Little tales with enormous, universal implications. Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church and Virginia Madsen jump out of the screen and as soon as the movie ends we find them sitting next to us. We get home and find them waiting for us there, we even find them on the mirror looking back at us. This is the sort of movie going experience that will never get old. Its strength is in its truth. You may not like it, you may even resent it. Good, that's what art is all about. It provokes you. It motivates and inspires you. And as if all that wasn't enough, it entertains you it amuses you, it gives you one hell of a great time. I want another Payne soon in a theater near me.