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, adds a lot to the movie. Sideways is good, smart fun and well worth a look for anyone who loves to laugh.
Video: How does it look?
Sideways is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The visual design of this film is a natural one, with a softer edge than most movies. This means the depth isn’t as remarkable as some, but this is a much more refined treatment than the DVD. The image shows a clearer, more detailed picture here, one that is natural and film-like. Also improved are the colors, which seem more accurate and contrast is also starker here. In short, this might not be able to compete with Blu-ray’s best, but the movie looks great and much improved over the DVD.
Audio: How does it sound?
A solid DTS HD 5.1 option is included, but dialogue dominates, so the depth isn’t remarkable. Even so, you can’t get blood from a stone, so you can’t expect dynamic presence from this soundtrack. The vocals sound excellent here also, with good volume and no errors to mention. That is crucial, given how the sound design is built around the dialogue. The music adds some life at times, but there’s not much else to talk about here. The lack of presence is never a problem however, as this movie never tries to hide how driven by dialogue it is. This disc also includes Spanish, French, and Portuguese language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Thai.
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, as well as a brief look behind the scenes.
