Sideways (2004) - 82%
This charming, superbly-written gentle comedy snuck up on me a little bit, despite the Oscar. Starring Paul Giamatti as Miles, a frustrated novelist, and his soon-to-be married friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church), Sideways is a real gem which takes in the glories of America’s wine country and the pitfalls of close friendships.
Underpinning the film is the excellent performance of Giamatti. He masterfully captures Miles’ frustration as both an unpublished writer and as the third wheel to his more lotharic pal Jack; who is more intent on sampling the women of California’s Central Coast than he is on the wines Miles’ well-trained nose is picking out for him. Haden Church also puts in a turn as the hapless penis-on-legs and adds much of the film’s well-maintained comic relief.
For such a sneaker-upper, this film is a critically acclaimed corker; and like gold dust to a film recommendation blog such as this. Check it out on Rotten Tomatoes, and search it out. I got my copy for 75p from CEX.
82%
