I just got done folding more laundry than the legal limit, while I watched the film Sideways.
It was an interesting film from a pschyology perspective – not one that I would say is required viewing, but entertaining nonetheless.
Summary: Miles (Paul Giamatti) is Jack’s (Thomas Haden Church) best man and wants to show Jack a fun time before he ties the knot. To cautious, divorced Miles, this means golf and a wine-tasting tour of his old stomping grounds. To Jack, this means sowing his wild oats before the wedding night. Less than a week before the wedding, and much to Miles’ disapproval, Jack gets into a deceptive and sexual relationship with Stephanie (Sandra Oh). In the mean time, Miles begins to fall in love with Sandra’s friend Maya (Virginia Madsen – yes, Princess Irulan), who is also a waitress at his old familiar pub. Miles tries to have an honest relationship with Maya, but finds himself getting tangled into Jack’s scheme for sex, which includes furthering the lie about the publication of Miles’ book. Miles is a loyal friend goes to great lengths to clean up after Jack, including fetching a wallet left at a one-night stand gone awry, and allowing Jack to wreck his car to create a cover story for Jack’s broken nose – so that his fiancé does not find out that it was actually belligerent Sandra who repeatedly smashed it with her motorcycle helmet.
Analysis: The film was quite slow, but the speed really allowed the viewer to get into the heart of each of the characters. I could feel Mile’s frustration with Jack’s careless behavior. I liked that the acting and script were very earthy and true to life – vs. pretentious with strings of one line zingers. It was the accurate portrait of ungodly, middle-aged men, trying to find their place in the world. It’s a story of apprehension, fear, love, and love lost – all over bottle after bottle of wine, a sub-theme that tied together the whole movie. There were some flashes of nudity and sex that lasted a few moments too long – I am rather scarred by seeing a flabby, nude trucker throwing himself onto Miles’ red car to attempt to stop he and Jack from leaving the scene. Yet the nudity, too, seemed very human – no soft lighting or over-the-top romance scenes.
Sideways has an interesting aftertaste – I know I’ll be thinking about this film and its character portrayals for a while.
I tend to watch films (think Sundance), whereas Tom watches “movies”. It was a perfect film for the occasion – late at night with nothing else to do except for fold laundry.
More sympathetic groans than laughs, but I’d rather a genuine groan than a cheap, slapstick laugh.
I miss Tom.
One response to “Sideways Laundry”
Someone recently gave the film one star on Amazon and posted that there was a deleted scene where someone threw the Bible in the hotel drawer into the trash – therefore, the film itself should be thrown in the trash. (This same wholesome person ranked Journey’s Greatest Hits Album with 5 Stars). (I have learned in the past that music and literature can contain sins, but if it’s visual, THEN it’s REALLY bad.)
I did not see this scene.
Yet, it does not surprise me when people who are not Christians act this way. The film does not promise to be a Christian film, and it’s rated ‘R’.
It’s a sad but accurate portrayal of a non-Christian world view.
As Christians, we can say, Yes, these things do happen in real life. What does the Bible say about infidelity? As a counselor, or as someone witnessing to a person depressed over ruined relationships, how would I reach out of them? How does God’s faithfulness contrast that of the infidelity of the men in this movie? How does God as a comforter help us through hard times when we feel lonely – so that we do not run out and find comfort in the world and in extramarital affairs? How can we pattern our faithfulness and integrity after our Maker’s?