A real treat

A road-trip through wine country becomes a voyage of self-discovery for a pair of mismatched buddies in 'Sideways', the latest film from Alexander Payne and unquestionably one of the finest American films of the year

Paul Giamatti takes the lead role of Miles, a teacher and failed novelist in his early forties who has barely come through a painful divorce. He is depressed, filled with self-loathing and has developed a fascination with wine which is teetering on the brink of full-blown alcoholism. Miles' friend Jack is about to get married so he and Miles head out on their 'stag week'. Miles has planned seven days of wine-tasting, golf, good food and relaxation, but Jack has other things on his mind. He simply wants to have as much sex as possible before he commits to one woman.

When Jack hooks up with bartender Stephanie(Sandra Oh) they embark on a one-night stand which develops into a whirlwind romance. But Miles finds it harder to open up and reveal his true feelings for Maya(Virginia Madsen) a divorced waitress who he has admired from a distance for years.

'Sideways' is a perfectly pitched, hilarious and moving film which never falters. Payne and his regular writing partner Jim Taylor have crafted a first-rate screenplay from Rex Pickett's novel, deceptively simple but containing many depths and layers which reveal themselves throughout the film. This is also the best directed film that Payne has made yet, perfectly paced and constantly moving smoothly from knockabout humour to genuine pathos.

However, the real reason 'Sideways' is so successful is down to the performances of its four leads. Church, Madsen and Sandra Oh are superb, all giving the best performances of their career, but this is Giamatti's show. As he did in last year's 'American Splendour' he has managed to take a very unlikeable character and elicit our sympathy and understanding. Miles is neurotic, self-obsessed and prone to throwing tantrums but Giamatti exposes his soul and makes us desperate for his relationship with the wonderful Maya work out. It is a subtle, funny, moving and utterly compelling performance and the Academy should be ashamed for ignoring his incredible feats for the second year in a row

You won't see many better films than this for some time. 'Sideways' is a triumph, a sublime piece of work which rings true from first minute to last. This film showcases one of American cinema's brightest young talents at the top of his game and we can only hope that, like a fine wine, Payne improves with age.