Sideways Movie Review

“A bottle of wine is like life itself—it grows up, evolves, and gains complexity. Then it peaks—like your ‘61—and begins its steady, inexplicable decline, and it tastes so good.” 

The title Sideways isn’t explained in the film, but I’m told that the book explains that “Sideways” is slang for drunk. To go “Sideways” means to get really drunk. This is why In the movie theres a hazy, blurred, point of view that the audience experiences at certain moments.

The story (as is often the case with these screenplay writers) focuses on life’s losers and their vain struggles to win. There’s two primary themes: drinking and love and the drinking intertwines with people falling in love. But love never comes easy. 

The main characters are Miles and Maya. Miles is a hard guy to get to know. He’s thin skinned and temperamental. He prefers a cozy and safe world. He’s looking for a woman to come to him and unlock his full potential. Maya is a woman with a passion for life, who in her own works has reached her peak in life in her early 60s. These two are old, they shouldn’t find love at this time in their lives. Miles needs to overcome his insecurities in order to win the girl. It’s a masterfully written screenplay. 

The themes of “love” and “drunkness” are tackled in this film. Interestingly those two ideas are actually connected in the Bible. Where? In proverbs 5. This is the only chapter in the Bible that commands you to be drunk. Yes, it does say that. But what’s the context? Not drunk with alcohol, but drunk in love with your spouse. Proverbs 5 says that married couples are to be so delighted with each other, so in love, that it’s intoxicating. That is a command, “enjoy the wife of your youth.” Our culture paints marital love as a ball and chain, but the Bible has a totally different approach. Marriage is a gift and blessing from God that provides the most intoxicating kind of love on the planet.