Plot: What’s it about?
Miles (Paul Giamatti) and his friend Jack (Thomas Hayden Church) once had visions of lives in which all their dreams would be realized, with fame, fortune, and all that goes with immense success. Miles was to be a prominent author, someone whose words could create entire worlds and spark imaginations, but sadly, he never lived out that dream. Instead, he has a dull and meager existence, as his failures as a writer have driven him to become a teacher. Jack was to be a famous actor, a matinee idol who cruised the best parties, bedded down with the most beautiful women, and collected record paychecks. But he also failed, though he showed a little spark at one time. Now he sees his brief excursion into success as all the more reason to be depressed, as he too has seen his dreams begin to vanish. Miles and Jack, both faced with middle age and life’s many disappointments, decide to embark on a week long wine tasting trek. As the pair venture through California’s Central Coast, they explore the decisions and failures of their lives, while also pondering the future. Jack wonders if an affair should prompt an end to his upcoming wedding, while Miles wonders about his own future, both personal and professional. Will the friends find what they’re looking for on this eventful trip, or will the excursion be simply another bad idea, yet another failure to add to the list?
As has been the tradition in recent years, the 2005 Academy Awards were more about studio pull than the year’s finest motion pictures. A slew of mediocre films were given handfuls of nominations and even wins, while superior films were left in the shadows. A rare exception was Sideways, a delightful piece that stood out from the other films nominated, as it was actually a solid movie. The film isn’t flashy, which is sure to disappoint some, but Sideways has all the needed elements for a terrific comedic picture. The foundation is superb writing, which gives a constant flow of well crafted, effective dialogue. In the end, the high quality of the dialogue is what drives this movie and makes it stand out. But unlike some movies with quick words and pop culture references, the dialogue here sounds natural, thanks in part to a gifted cast. As always, Paul Giamatti (American Splendor, Man on the Moon) is on his game, but I was somewhat surprised at how good Thomas Hayden Church (Tombstone, The Specials) is here, given some of his previous work. He is dead on in this role and without question, will be in high demand after this performance. Sideways is a bright spot in a mostly lame year for movies, so when those higher profile films are long forgotten, this one will remain popular. Fox’s disc has all the trimmings, so Sideways earns a most high recommendation.
Video: How does it look?
Sideways is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. In truth, I found almost no flaws here and if it weren’t for some very, very minor ones, this effort would earn a perfect score. The colors look bright, but realistic at all times, with no errors at all and flesh tones look good also, always natural in scope. I found the contrast to be as impressive, with razor sharp black levels and no visible detail loss at all. The print shows some very small defects, but nothing to be concerned about, not by any means. This isn’t quite a perfect visual treatment, but it is darn close and I think all viewers will be thrilled with the overall presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, which offers a terrific audio experience. This is a dialogue based film, so the main surround activity is found within the musical score and soundtrack. Some subtle use can be heard, but the main focus of the surround is the music, which sounds rich and full at all times. The other surround use might be rare, but when it does appear it is effective and well placed, including some excellent directional effects. This is a comedy though, so the dialogue is what you came here to listen to. This track offers crisp and clear vocals at a consistent volume, which never allows them to be drown out by the other elements. This disc also includes Spanish and French language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, so almost all camps should be covered here.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Up first is an audio commentary track with stars Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, who provide their insights on the film’s production. As expected, this isn’t a technical track, so you’ll hear memories and stories from the set. That works out well though, as the session is brisk and fun to listen to, thanks to some great, often humorous stories from the two. This disc also includes some deleted scenes, a look behind the scenes, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
