Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 42 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 586 Ratings

  • Starring: Paul Giamatti, Sandra Oh, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen
  • Summary: Two old friends setting off on a wine-tasting road trip...only to veer dizzily sideways into a wry, comedic exploration of the crazy vicissitudes of love and friendship, the damnable persistence of loneliness and dreams and the enduring war between Pinot and Cabernet. (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 42
  2. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Hysterically funny yet melancholy comedy.
  2. Reviewed by: Ethan Alter
    80
    This is easily Payne's funniest film to date, yet the comedy never undercuts the difficult emotions with which the characters are dealing.
  3. 60
    Alexander Payne's new movie, Sideways, makes you feel like you're trapped at dinner with a wiseass who's trying to convince you what a sensitive guy he is.

See all 42 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. 10
    Giamatti's character's dimensions are written with such care that it makes him tangible and engaging. He's both fragile and explosive. When set against Haden Church's aging jock it creates a great story with a Laurel & Hardy quality to it. What I liked though is that looks at love were highly imperfect but still had real consequences. Jennifer Aniston is not in this film. The actors are believable. I was able to want to believe them, right or wrong, for better or worse. Expand
  2. SImonM
    8
    Put it like this - if you are an intelligent, witty and astute person, you will LOVE this. If, however, you are not a very bright person, you will say it's boring and unfunny. Take a look at the negative reviews here and you will notice some terrible spelling, and inarticulate submissions. I think that says it all. For those who didn't enjoy the movie, perhapsMr Bean is more your style?? Expand
  3. RodG.
    6
    I'm not too retarded that I didn't get the humor. It just wasn't a great movie. It was okay but not one to own. I'm sure people who are uptight and think they are upper class citizens found this movie delightful. Good for you. Expand
  4. JeffH.
    0
    Honestly one of the worst movies i have ever seen, a complete sham that it has the same rating as pulp fiction, and is actually ahead of Schindler's List.....it is a movie that tries to come off as deep but its really about two losers whose lives are terrible and they have no one to blame but themselves. I would like the two hours of my life back that i sat watching this slow, boring, unfunny, atroscity of a movie....do not even waste your time. Expand

See all 380 User Reviews

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