SIDEWAYS

US, 2004, 127 minutes, Colour.
Paul Giamatti, Thomas Hayden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh.
Directed by Alexander Payne.

About Miles.

The previous film co-written with his long-term writing partner, James Taylor, and directed by Alexander Payne was About Schmidt with Jack Nicholson. It was a road film, a journey by a retired man who travelled America to discover more about himself and freedom. Sidways is also a road film. This time the traveller is a middle-aged man, Miles, who is in depression after his divorce and his failure to have his novel published. His companion on the road is his college days friend, Jack, whose TV acting and commercials career is at a standstill but who intends to marry at the end of the week-long trip they take through the vineyards of California. It is a sideways journey.

Miles is played excellently by Paul Giamatti. Giamatti is a familiar face, not necessarily a familiar name, from many supporting roles. In 2003, he made his star mark in American Splendor. He now brings Miles to life, a complex character with whom one sympathises but who can be very annoying. Jack is played with relish by Thomas Hayden Church. He is the opposite of Miles. He is always posing and acting. He is completely self-absorbed (and one dreads his marriage), infantile in his approach to everything, especially sex and women.

The vineyards setting is important. There is ample opportunity for aficionados to appreciate the variety of vineyards, get information about the wines and share vicariously in some of the tasting. But the wine is a symbol of life (as explained in a moving speech by Maya, a waitress friend of Miles). Miles is a wine expert and he can taste the subtleties. He can be elitist, but he is capable of appreciating wine and the varieties of life. For Jack, everything tastes the same. He just wants the pleasure of having a drink.

The two women in the story differ considerably. Sandra Oh is freewheeling Stephanie. Looking for love, she believes Jack's spiels and is doomed to frustration and anger. Virginia Madsen is very moving as Maya. She too has a taste for life but is able to listen to Miles, share his vision, support him. She may be the one.

Payne and Taylor's screenplay is intelligently and often wittily written. Rolfe Kent supplies an unobtrusive but mood-creating score. Sideways is a thoughtfully entertaining film.

1. The nominations and awards? The appeal?

2. The title, Miles’ life and his way of life, Jack’s life and his way of life, the journey that each takes? Maya and Stephanie and their journeys? Everyone moving through life sideways?

3. The San Diego settings, Los Angeles, the Californian roads, the vineyards, the landscapes, the restaurants and motels? The unobtrusive musical score and its creation of mood?

4. The structure, the diary of the journey?

5. The focus on Miles, his being in every scene, getting up, the phone call, his lies and excuses, the driving to Los Angeles, his arrival, excuses? His friendship with Jack, going back to their college days? The plan for the trip, the motivation for Miles, to give Jack a week before his marriage, Jack and his plans to open up Miles? On the road, driving, his expert knowledge of wines, the wine tasting, the golf, Miles as a teacher and would-be writer?

6. The contrast with Jack, his friendship, the background of his acting, soap operas, commercials, his age, not having as many contracts? His explanation of himself, acting all the time? The engagement to Christine, his wanting to get out of the house and on the road, the week, the revelation of his character, infantile attitudes, self-absorbed, his wanting to be free, sexual encounters? His wanting Miles to have sexual encounters?

7. The visit to Miles’ mother, the birthday, the flowers, the chat, her personality, dominant, loving Miles, the meals, her plans – and their escape?

8. The importance of the wine themes: the visiting of the vineyards, the visuals of the vineyards, the work, production, the produce? The wine tasting – Miles and Jack, the crowds? Miles’ technical knowledge and explanations? Jack’s lack of taste? The contacts that Miles had built up, bars, restaurants, Maya?

9. Jack, his phone calls to Christine, the aims of the trip, his urging Miles on concerning Maya, the encounter with Stephanie at the tasting, liking her, arranging the night out, his being with Stephanie, the collage of the meal and the bonds between the four, going home, the sexual encounter, declaring that he loved her, her believing him, riding on the bike with her? Christine’s messages and his trying to avoid them? The discussions with Miles, listening to Miles’ views and criticisms? His wanting to promote Miles, talking about his novel and its being published? The golf game – and the attack on the critical players? Incessant talk, Miles telling him to shut up? The continued pressure on Miles, making Miles do what he wanted? The fan at the restaurant, going to her home, the sexual encounter, being bashed by her husband, losing his wallet, forcing Miles to go and get it? His being bashed by Stephanie with her helmet? Going home, the continued focus on self as he argued with Miles? Continually acting and self-justifying?

10. Miles, his age, experience, sense of being a loser? His character, his work, the novel and its length, the ending? His expertise at wine tasting and his enjoyment of it? His knowing Maya, liking her, his reaction to Jack’s presence? The dinner – and his having to leave the table? The desperate phone call to Victoria and the memories of his marriage, affair, divorce? His not wanting her to be at the wedding? His acceding to her requests? Going home, the discussions with Maya, his response to her speech about wine being alive, no sexual encounter? Going out, his being open and free with her, talking, her support, the novel, the picnic? The night together?

11. Maya, age and experience, the divorce, her work? Study and ambitions? Waitressing? Sharing the drink at the bar with Jack and Miles, agreeing to go on the date, the meal and the talk, her being comfortable with Miles, the significance of the close-up of her wine speech and the revelation of her character, intensity? Her wanting to read the novel? A good woman, loving Miles, the night with him? Her being upset with the information about the wedding? Her leaving, the phone message, Miles’ letter – and his going to see her again? A future?

12. Stephanie, at work at the tasting, as a personality, her daughter, Jack going out with the family, her mother? The sexual encounter, the riding the bike, the hopes, believing that he loved her, hearing the truth and her hitting him with the helmet?

13. Miles, introspective, his lack of achievement, his saying that he had not made any mark in the world, not significant enough to kill himself? The pathos? His continually escaping confrontation, sleeping, walking by himself, the phone call to Victoria – and the contrast with the reality of meeting her and her husband at the wedding? His continually doing what Jack said – especially as regards getting the wallet and the comic effects of the intrusion in the house, being chased by the naked husband? His capacity for drinking, self-pity?

14. The wedding, the Armenian ceremony, Jack and his going through with it, a future with Christine or not? The family, the guests? Miles and his meeting Victoria, his driving away from the reception, going to get his special wine, drinking it with the hamburger?

15. The letter to Maya, the message, listening to the phone – and his going to her house? The appropriate ending as he knocked on the door?

16. Sideways and the themes of journeys, the one journey and two routes, Jack and his not moving at all, Miles and his change and transformation?