movie review monday: sideways

Sideways

Directed by Alexander Payne, Sideways follows Miles (Paul Giamatti), who is distressed about his lack of success as a novelist, and Jack (Thomas Haden Church), an equally unsuccessful actor with a rapidly approaching wedding. In a last-ditch effort to sow their wild oats, Jack and Miles take off on a final road trip to California's wine country the week prior to Jack's wedding. Both men have goals for the vacation -- Miles wants to turn Jack on to the art of wine tasting, while Jack is concerned with exploiting his last days as a bachelor -- but when the two men come across two fascinating women (Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh), the duo is forced to examine their morality, and if maturity isn't such a depressing prospect -- or at least, for one of them. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide



I'm not entirely sure how I made it so long without seeing this movie because it had every indicator that I would love it with the bonus of being nominated for about a gazillion awards including Best Picture. I rented it awhile ago and K and I started watching it on two different occassions but each time ended up deciding that we didn't want to spend the small amount of time we had together watching a movie. Sometimes it just happens that way, yo. I put it on the Blockbuster online que and it showed up a bit ago and I finally got to finish watching it.

I hated it. I understand how it was artsy and why it was nominated for awards. I thought the actors did exceptional jobs (except I don't really understand why Paul Giametti was so pissed he didn't win. He plays practically the same role in everything. He was superb in Cinderella Man though) and I enjoyed the way the movie looked. I just hated the story. I get that it was two men going through serious life change and questioning the paths they were on and how to move to another one if that was what needed to be done. I didn't like the pace and I didn't like how it ended. I'm not one who needs everything to be neatly tied up at the end of a story, but for heaven's sake, it was frustrating this time around.

So that's about it. If you did like it, totally explain to me why. I feel like I missed something because I really did WANT to like it...

Rating: 1 of 4 stars. The actors did really do good jobs.