.: Roberts' Reviews - Movie Reviews :.

I am betting that the average once a month moviegoer wouldn’t recognize the name Paul Giamatti. In fact, to put my theory to the test, I tried it at work and asked around the water cooler to see who might identify a face to the name. Five people into my study – nothing. So I took it to the next level and began to give them hints. Planet of the Apes, The Negotiator, Saving Private Ryan, American Splendor. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Blank stares. Hmmmm. Confidence, Big Fat Liar, Big Momma’s House, I continued. Nope, nope and nope. The words ‘Pig Vomit’ (the name that Howard Stern gave to the Giamatti portrayed character in Private Parts) did seem to increase the odd eye pupil size, but I can put the lab coat back on the rack and conclude that Paul Giamatti is not yet a household name. Not yet.

Paul Giamatti is a bit actor that is beginning to get recognized with the big boys. He has held his own alongside such talent as Tom Hanks, Samuel L. Jackson and (dare I put him into the same category) Mark Wahlberg. He had the best lines in Private Parts and The Negotiator and received raves for his role as Harvey Pekar in 2003’s delightful American Splendor. His performances have nabbed him nominations with the Independent Spirit Awards, the National Board of Review and even with the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards back in 2001. He may not be known therefore to Joe-Q public, but with already over 30 film roles on his resume; it is only a matter of time before the face and the name ring a bell.

It came as no surprise to this writer therefore when director Alexander Payne (About Schmidt, Election) picked Giamatti as the lead in his new buddy road flick, Sideways. The movie centers around two men, Jack (Thomas Haden Church of TV’s Wings’ fame) and Miles (Giamatti) who set out for one week of wine tasting in California before Jack gets married on Saturday. It becomes clear early on that their intentions for the trip are polar opposites. Jack is an actor who is questioning his decision to marry and is looking for one last weekend of fun and frolicking with the opposite sex. Miles is a true wine connoisseur, who knows his wine lists intimately. From the grapes on the vine to the color in the glass, Miles relishes in his passion and wants nothing more than a week of tasting good wines over good conversation.

It takes to all of day two before the two begin to go their separate ways. Jack falls for Stephanie (Sandra Oh), a server at one of the wine distillers and he tries desperately to get Miles included by double dating with Stephanie’s friend Maya (Virginia Madsen), a waitress at the local restaurant that Miles frequents. After a dinner for four that beings to tailspin with Miles’ overdrinking, the two couples break away to their comfort zones – the wine rack for Miles and Maya and the bedroom for Jack and Stephanie. The next few days will see the two friends barely having enough time to talk between their budding and bugling relationships with the two women.

The movie primarily plays to the Maya and Miles storyline. Both characters have recently been divorced and they share a chemistry over their appreciation for good wines. Neither seems ready to jump back into the relationship mode just yet, but their fascination for each other – Maya at Miles’ attempts to be a published author and Miles at Maya just for showing interest – makes for an incredibly effective romance.

Both relationships happen to dissolve quicker than an Alka-Seltzer tablet in a glass of water once Miles accidentally slips loose the secret that Jack is set to be married on the weekend. Maya becomes enraged at Miles for keeping this startling bit of information from the women and Stephanie goes on a ballistic assault with her motorcycle helmet on Jacks face once she is told of Jack’s fiancée in waiting. The concluding chapters deal with both men trying to cope with their female loss while trying to find a future path worth taking.

Director Alexander Payne is a fresh breath of Hollywood talent like Wes Anderson. Paul Thomas Anderson and David Gordon Green. He uses strong character development instead of explosions and space aliens to provide us with an interesting story that we wish wouldn’t end. His casting choices in Sideways were perfect. Giamatti should see a nomination early next year if justice prevails and bringing Haden Church into the fold having nothing more than direct to video fare in the new millennium was also a coup. Having us completely forget that he was ever the dimwitted Lowell on 1990’s television Wings, he too provides enough charisma and confidence to be deserving of honorable mention at statue time.

The two female leads also provide strong support, with Oh (Anderson’s wife by the way) making the most of her limited screen time and Madsen giving her best performance in years as someone who was recently hurt in love and wants to take their time getting back in the dating game. She is the glue that holds the story together even when she is not on screen and her reactions that lead to the films final scene are believable and not overwrought.

I can’t argue that that Sideways won’t appease the ‘something-has-got-to-happen-every-minute-to-keep-my-interest’ gang, but those that want a character driven story with strong leads and interesting people, you can’t do better this year. Watch for this one to end up on many best of lists in a few weeks.