Sideways, eh?

I finally saw "Sideways" this weekend. And yes, I did enjoy it. But not as much as I thought I would. It was neat to see our favorite wine trip played out on the big screen, but something kept me from being truly involved with the story. After thought, I decided it was the characters. Though I eventually rooted for the Paul Giamatti character, both of them were so deeply flawed that I had difficulty caring. Thomas Haden Church did a great job with a character who is basically a fraud. He's only pursuing the instant gratification in front of him, and does not care what his actions do to those around him. Not his wife, his best friend, or the woman and child he is romancing. Giamatti's character is also wonderfully played, but is a man so deep in his negativity that half the time you WANT him to hit bottom and go home. Yes, I caught that he's distraught at his friend for basically fucking up what Giamatti desperately desires, i.e. family. But the movie also quickly mentions that Giamatti HAD that, and lost it by cheating on his allegedly verbally abusive wife. These are two tough characters to love.

I wanted more of the wine tour, more of the quirks of those truly devoted to wine, and more of the romance between giamatti and Mya. I didn't get that, and so was disappointed even if the ride was fun.

And heck, I live in California, so I can go to Santa Barbara County anytime.