Sideways

Sideways
A cartoon of two men inside a wine bottle that is laying on its side.
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAlexander Payne
Screenplay by
Based onSideways
by Rex Pickett
Produced byMichael London
Starring
CinematographyPhedon Papamichael
Edited byKevin Tent
Music byRolfe Kent
Production
company
Michael London Productions
Distributed byFox Searchlight Pictures
Release dates
  • September 13, 2004 (2004-09-13) (TIFF)
  • October 22, 2004 (2004-10-22) (United States)
Running time
127 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$16 million[1]
Box office$109.7 million[1]

Sideways is a 2004 American comedy-drama road film directed by Alexander Payne and written by Jim Taylor and Payne. A film adaptation of Rex Pickett's 2004 novel, Sideways follows two men in their forties, Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti), a depressed teacher and unsuccessful writer, and Jack Cole (Thomas Haden Church), a past-his-prime actor, who take a week-long road trip to Santa Barbara County wine country to celebrate Jack's upcoming wedding. Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen also star as women they encounter during their trip.

Sideways premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2004, and was released in the United States on October 22, 2004. It received widespread acclaim from critics and is regarded as one of the greatest films of the 2000s. At the 77th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Haden Church), Best Supporting Actress (Madsen), and Best Adapted Screenplay, the last of which it won.