reviewSIDEWAYS

Alexander Payne has now established himself as the premier filmmaker of mature cinema. That's
"mature" in the witty, intelligent, and adult sense -- qualities that "Sideways" displays effortlessly in
its keen understanding of frustration and regret, expressing an optimism that life's fissures do
indeed offer paths of hope.

After 2002's "About Schmidt," in which he told the tale of an aging father out to grasp at the last
reaches of a life gone by, Payne has now crafted an equally deft, laugh-out-loud funnier story about
two middle-aged has-beens in need of life rejuvenation (or at least sex and good wine). It's the type
of movie that would've been a breakout hit if released in the mid-'70s, but now seems relegated to
the art-house ghetto. Hopefully that won't be the case.

Paul Giamatti plays the has-been writer (he wants the good wine) and Thomas Haden Church plays
the has-been actor (he craves the sex). The pair complement each other like the frat buddies in
their mid-forties that they are, and embody the type of true-to-life characters you rarely see in
movies. They remain friends by virtue of the length of their acquaintance. They have dead-end
career prospects and almost no direction in life despite constant struggles for relevance and identity.
If these aren't characters that the average person can relate to, what are?

Yet in many regards, it's the women of "Sideways" that truly make it a journey worth taking.
Sandra Oh, that witty firecracker, is awash in flaws and impulses that ground her in a recognizable
reality. But Virginia Madsen, she of "Candyman" fame (that's a compliment), represents the
picture's heart and wine-soaked soul. In her few but deeply memorable scenes, she conveys the
simultaneous loneliness of singlehood and the beauty of age. The film herein makes a perfect
metaphorical link between the cultivation of a rare grape, fermented to the right date and sealed for
far-off consumption, and the acceptance of middle age being less thrilling than youth but ultimately
more delectable.

It is rare when screenwriting, direction, and performances come together in such a fluid and
seemingly mellowed manner. But Payne has pulled it off four times in a row now, and there are no
signs of letting up. That's definitely worth toasting a glass of Merlot...er...Pinot Noir to.