Peter Marklund's Home

After having seen the good reviews and knowing that Sideways is the type of movie I like the most - realistic dramas with good actors and interesting dialogue - I entered the cinema with high expectations. To my surprise Sideways was even better than I thought it would be.

The movie is well made overall with nice flow and good acting. It touches on serious relationship and career issues and provides good topics for discussion. Most importantly though, Sideways feels very unpretentious and manages to be light and humorous among all the misery. It ends up being a very successful feel good movie, but a feel good movie with some weight behind it.

The dynamics and contrast between the two main male characters - the grumpy and anti-social writer and the playboy type actor - is really what makes the movie sparkle for me. There is a lot of good comedy and even a scene with some touching romance - a scene involving - of course - some fine red wine.

As a bonus the movie is set in very pleasant Californian wine yards and scenery. Much of which brought back nostalgic memories for me from my own wine tasting round trip in Sonoma Valley back in the year 2000. It's time to go back to California...

Highly recommended.