SIDEWAYS -- Alexander Payne, dir

©2004
studio: 20th Century Fox
production company: Fox Searchlight Pictures, Michael London Productions, Sideways Productions Inc.
director: Alexander Payne
cast: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Hayden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh, Marylouise Burke
screenplay: Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor from a novel by Rex Pickett

Two men reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment, embark on a week long road trip through California's wine country, just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle. [from imdb.com]

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This was an interesting film given its unlikely hero and not particularly likeable sidekick.

I'm not a fan of Paul Giamatti, but I tolerated him here.

Some have written that this film had an endearing quality to the lonelyliness of unfullfilled middle-agers. Rather, I found it even sadder that this might be the highlight of some people's lives. The lost weekend; the last grasp at youth.

The storytelling was well done and I was engaged and captivated throughout. But ultimately I left no better or worse for having seen the film, and not particularly entertained.

I wouldn't dismiss this film out of hand, but I wouldn't give it a glowing recommendation either.