Hey folks, Harry here... this is one of those films coming out at the latter part of the year - where you just kinda wait - impatiently - knowing full well that there's this sure fire great film that works at every conceivable level... waiting for you in that final quarter of the film year. This film, KINSEY, A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT, PROOF and THE AVIATOR... Those films - for me - are absolute sure things. I absolutely can not wait till I see them, and I love that Paul gets another great part this year after his genius turn in AMERICAN SPLENDOR last year! Here ya go...
just got back from an early early screening here in LA of "Sideways," the new film from writer/director Alexander Payne.
I loved it. It's the best work-in-progress film I've ever seen.
It stars Paul Giamati as a high school teacher wanna be novelist who spends the week along the west coast wine-tasting with an old college pal. In the coming week, his pal will be wed and let's just say the friend wants to get laid. bad. I don't want to give too much away but this is by far the most complex character study Payne's done. While I liked About Schmidt I didn't think it was better than Election. At this point, Election is still his funniest picture but in "Sideways" he's really gone out of his way to set a totally different tone; a picture that seems not only made for adults but about adults. The are no easy resolutions and conflicts.
It's also not a total downer b/c there a hilarious scenes to be had. Overall though it's a great character study AND a uniquely unpredictable plot. I honestly, didn't know where the story was heading.
I never thought Wine-tasting could be so interesting. In a way, you could say that the Giamati character is akin to Bucemi's Seymour in Ghost World; an older man who spends an awful lot of time on one thing. In both cases, the characters are kinda sad sacks but Giamati is much more well, angry. Not Harvey Pekar angry but disgruntled nonetheless.
Oooh, and all hail Virginia Madsen who plays a possible love interest. She's aged quite well ("Electric Dreams" rules!) and she's got some nice moments here.
The overall response from the group of twenty that stayed and chatted was overwhelmingly positive.
It's the best film of the year and it probably won't be relased until fall 2004. :(
call me pajamo!
