Product Code Database
Sideways is a 2004 American comedy-drama directed by Alexander Payne and written by Jim Taylor and Payne. A film adaptation of Rex Pickett's 2004 novel, Sideways follows two men in their forties, Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti), a depressed teacher and unsuccessful writer, and Jack Cole (Thomas Haden Church), a past-his-prime actor, who take a week-long road trip to Santa Barbara County wine country to Bachelor party Jack's upcoming wedding. Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen also star as women they encounter during their trip.
Sideways premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2004, and was released in the United States on October 22, 2004. It received widespread acclaim from critics and is regarded as one of the greatest films of the 2000s. At the 77th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Haden Church), Best Supporting Actress (Madsen), and Best Adapted Screenplay, the last of which it won.
Miles wants to spend the week relaxing, playing golf, and enjoying good food and wine. However, Jack is interested in trying to cure Miles’ depression over his professional failures and divorce by finding him a sex partner. Jack is ambivalent over his pending marriage and the prospect of giving up his acting ambitions in favor of a job with his fiancée’s father. In the Santa Ynez valley, Miles, an Oenophilia, teaches Jack how to taste wine. The pair dine at The Hitching Post II. Jack infers that Maya, a waitress with whom Miles is casually acquainted, is interested in Miles. Jack tells Maya that Miles' manuscript has been accepted for publication, although it is only being considered.
The next morning Jack announces his intention to find sex partners during the trip. That night, he arranges a double date for himself and Miles with a wine pourer named Stephanie, who is also acquainted with Maya.
During the date, Miles gets drunk dialing Victoria, his ex-wife, after learning from Jack that she has remarried and will be bringing her new husband to Jack's wedding. The couples go to Stephanie's house, where Stephanie and Jack adjourn to Stephanie's bedroom, leaving Miles and Maya alone. The two connect through their mutual interest in wine, and- after hearing Jack and Stephanie having sex through the wall- Miles kisses Maya awkwardly. As they part, Miles gives Maya a copy of his manuscript, which she had earlier expressed interest in reading.
Jack claims to have fallen in love with Stephanie and tells Miles he wants to postpone the wedding and move to the Santa Ynez Valley to be closer to her. After spending time with Jack and Stephanie at wineries and a picnic, Miles and Maya return to Maya's apartment and have sex. The next day, Miles reveals to Maya that Jack is getting married. Disgusted with the men's dishonesty, Maya dumps Miles.
Jack and Miles go to a winery that Miles finds subpar. After hearing from his literary agent that his manuscript has been rejected, an upset Miles pesters the pourer for a full glass of wine. When the server refuses, Miles drinks from the Spittoon, creating a scene. Jack intervenes and drives Miles back to the motel. Upon arrival, Stephanie, who heard from Maya about Jack's marital status, furiously beats Jack with her motorcycle helmet, breaking his nose, while berating him for his dishonesty. Miles takes Jack to the ER and leaves Maya an apologetic voice message, admitting that his book will not be published.
That night, despite Miles' protests, Jack goes home with a waitress named Cammi. Jack returns to the motel naked after Cammi's husband had caught the two having sex. Jack begs Miles to help him retrieve his wallet, which contains custom wedding rings. Miles sneaks into the house, where he finds Cammi and her husband having sex. He grabs the wallet and runs, barely escaping Cammi's nude and furious husband. On the drive back to San Diego, Jack intentionally drives Miles's car into a tree to support his alibi that he broke his nose in a car accident. The pair return to Christine's home, where Jack is warmly received by her family.
Following the wedding ceremony, Miles runs into Victoria and meets her new husband, Ken. Victoria says she is pregnant. Miles absconds before the reception and drives back to his San Diego apartment. Alone, he drinks his prized wine, a 1961 Château Cheval Blanc, from a disposable styrofoam soda cup at a fast-food restaurant. One day, Miles receives a voicemail from Maya, saying she loved his manuscript, encouraging him to keep writing, and inviting him to visit. Miles drives back to wine country and knocks on Maya's door.
A 2009 study by Sonoma State University found that Sideways slowed the growth in Merlot sales volume and caused its price to fall, but the film's main effect on the U.S. wine industry was a rise in the sales volume and price of Pinot noir and in overall wine consumption.
A 2022 study in the Journal of Wine Economics found that Sideways caused a reduction in demand for Merlot and an increase in demand for Pinot noir in the United States, which led California winemakers to grow Pinot noir grapes in unsuitable land and blend those grapes with the grapes grown in high-quality areas just to meet demand, which may have led to worse Pinot noir wines.
Sideways Fest is an annual 3-day event hosted by the Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance celebrating the movie's release featuring the local viticulture and scenery.
Time Out described the film as "intelligent, funny and moving", and Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it four stars out of four, writing that "what happens during the seven days adds up to the best human comedy of the year – comedy, because it is funny, and human, because it is surprisingly moving".
With the exception of Giamatti, who had already starred in the critically acclaimed film American Splendor (2003), the film was a career breakthrough for the stars. Church and Madsen were each nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award, Golden Globe Award, and Academy Award for their performances, winning the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and Independent Spirit Award for their respective categories. Giamatti was described as "The World's Best character actor" by Time magazine. In 2005, Sandra Oh went on to star in the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy, for which she won two Screen Actors Guild Awards and one Golden Globe Award.
Sideways was ranked 494th on Empires 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time. Total Film put Sideways on its list of 100 Greatest Movies of All Time. In 2013, the Writers Guild of America also ranked its script as the 90th greatest ever written. The February 2020 issue of New York Magazine lists Sideways as among "The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars." In 2025, it was one of the films voted for the "Readers' Choice" edition of The New York Times list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century," finishing at number 173.
A play adapted by author Rex Pickett from the Sideways novel was produced at multiple theaters in the United States and the United Kingdom, including at the La Jolla Playhouse.
In addition to the musical, it was reported that Pickett had written screenplays based on his two Sideways sequels already in print, Vertical and Sideways 3 Chile.
| Awards | |||
| American Film Institute Awards | AFI Movie of the Year | ||
| 77th Academy Awards | Best Picture | Michael London | rowspan="4" |
| Best Director | Alexander Payne | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| American Cinema Editors | Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical | Kevin Tent | |
| Argentine Film Critics Association | Best Foreign Film, Not in Spanish Language | Alexander Payne | |
| Belgian Syndicate of Cinema Critics | Grand Prix | ||
| 58th British Academy Film Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | rowspan="3" |
| Bodil Awards | Best American Film | Alexander Payne | |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Film | ||
| Best Director | Alexander Payne | rowspan="2" | |
| Best Actor | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | rowspan="4" | |
| Best Cast | Thomas Haden Church, Paul Giamatti, Virginia Madsen, and Sandra Oh | ||
| Best Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | ||
| Best Director | Alexander Payne | rowspan="2" | |
| Best Actor | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | rowspan="4" | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Best Cast | Thomas Haden Church, Paul Giamatti, Virginia Madsen, and Sandra Oh | ||
| Best Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| Best Composer | Rolfe Kent | ||
| Casting Society of America Awards | Best Feature Film Casting – Comedy | John Jackson and Ellen Parks | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | rowspan="5" | |
| Best Actor | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Best Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| Czech Lion | Best Foreign Language Film | Alexander Payne | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | ||
| rowspan="4" | |||
| Best Actor | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | Alexander Payne | |
| Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | rowspan="5" | |
| Best Director | Alexander Payne | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Best Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | ||
| Best Director – Motion Picture | Alexander Payne | rowspan="4" | |
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Best Screenplay – Motion Picture | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| Best Original Score – Motion Picture | Rolfe Kent | ||
| Gotham Awards | Best Film | Alexander Payne | rowspan="8" |
| Independent Spirit Awards | Best Film | Michael London | |
| Best Director | Alexander Payne | ||
| Best Male Lead | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Male | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Best Supporting Female | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Best Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | Film of the Year | ||
| Director of the Year | Alexander Payne | rowspan="3" | |
| Actor of the Year | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Screenwriter of the Year | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | rowspan="2" | |
| Best Director | Alexander Payne | ||
| Best Actor | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | rowspan="6" | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Best Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| National Board of Review | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Film | rowspan="3" | |
| Best Director | Alexander Payne | ||
| Best Actor | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | rowspan="7" | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Best Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| New York Film Critics Circle | Best Film | ||
| Best Actor | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Best Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| Online Film Critics Society Awards | Best Picture | rowspan="2" | |
| Best Director | Alexander Payne | ||
| Best Actor | Paul Giamatti | rowspan="2" | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture | Michael London | |
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | |
| San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | rowspan="5" | |
| Best Director | Alexander Payne | ||
| Best Actor | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Satellite Awards | Best Film – Musical or Comedy | ||
| Best Director – Motion Picture | Alexander Payne | rowspan="2" | |
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Best Cast – Motion Picture | Thomas Haden Church, Paul Giamatti, Virginia Madsen, and Sandra Oh | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Thomas Haden Church, Paul Giamatti, Virginia Madsen, and Sandra Oh | |
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role | Paul Giamatti | rowspan="3" | |
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Toronto Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | rowspan="3" | |
| Best Actor | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| USC Scripter Award | Best Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor | |
| Vancouver Film Critics Circle | Best Film | ||
| Best Director | Alexander Payne | rowspan="3" | |
| Best Actor | Paul Giamatti | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Thomas Haden Church | rowspan="2" |
| Best Supporting Actress | Virginia Madsen | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | rowspan="2" | ||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor |
The remake shifts the setting of the film to Napa Valley. Although listed as an executive producer, Payne was not involved with the remake, although he gave it his blessing. Giamatti declined an invitation to make an unspecified cameo appearance in the film.
|
|
