Nine stars. I'm not really sure why it isn't ten. Maybe because Myles and
Jack really are such louses. Maybe because Maya is just a bit too angelic. Because I really do like it a lot! Giamatti and Haden Church are both just
brilliant, and Madsen and Oh both do fine work as well. The technical
structure of the film is top notch, and the understory of Myles's redemption
is executed gloriously. This is classified as a comedy, and there certainly
are a lot of funny moments (Hearing Jack, in the background, doing his
voice-over stuff as part of his seduction routine. The bit at the tasting bar
at Frasse Canyon. The whole notion of *naming* a winery Frasse! And so on). But the emotional drama cuts deep. Even Jack gets his moments of existential
despair. I'm a wine guy, and have loved good Pinot since I was in college in
the 1970s, so that helps too. This is the film that showed me what a
tremendous actor Paul Giamatti is. It's worth it just for his portrayal of the
desperate, flailing Myles. And all the rest just adds more bubbles to the
champagne (er, California methodee champagnoise). 29 August 2022.
Review of Sideways
