‘Sideways’: An Engaging Tale of Wine and Romance

R | 2h 7m | Comedy, Drama, Romance | 2004

When I first heard about director Alexander Payne’s (“Nebraska,” “Small Town Wisconsin”) 2004 romantic dramedy “Sideways,” I figured it was about a group of middle-aged characters going through their mid-life trials and tribulations. While somewhat true, the film is so much deeper; it’s a fascinating character study of real people trying to find purpose and love in their lives.

‘Sideways’

Although the job of English teacher Miles (Paul Giamatti) provides a steady income, he truly wants to break out as a published author and has an agent who is trying to drum up interest in one of his manuscripts. Miles is also an oenophile and can discern a good deal about a wine just by smelling it and swirling it around in a glass.