I took my 16 year old to see this movie. What a mistake! She hated it and all the people in it. At her age, she simply doesn't have the life experience to understand the angst 40 year old people can have when they realize their life is not going the way they had planned. She was disdainful, not sympathetic, towards the characters. That's why this movie should only be seen by people over age 25--the themes are simply too adult for younger groups.
Sideways
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Wonderful, but not for anyone under 17.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 15–16
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Sideways was written by Nell Minow
Parents need to know that this movie is NOT for kids. It's filled with very mature material, including extremely explicit sexual references and situations (with nudity) and some violence. Characters drink (there is a distinction made between the appreciation of wine as a work of art and drinking to numb feelings or get drunk) and use very strong language.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about what mattered most to Miles and Jack. Despite their differences, what kept them together as friends? What does Stephanie see in Jack? What does Maya see in Miles?
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More on Sideways
What’s the Story?
In SIDEWAYS, Miles (Paul Giamatti), a struggling writer, and his friend, Jack (Thomas Haden Church), a has-been actor, head to the Central Valley for Jack's his last bachelor getaway before his upcoming wedding to a woman who is young, beautiful, and wealthy. The plan is to eat great food, drink great wine, and enjoy great scenery. Miles wants Jack to appreciate the delicate beauty of the wine. But Jack has a different kind of beauty appreciation in mind. When he finds out that an accommodating wine pourer named Stephanie (Sandra Oh) is a friend of Maya's (Virginia Madsen), the waitress Miles has admired from afar, he invites them both to dinner. Jack tells the women they are celebrating Miles' (nonexistent) book contract. Later he tells Stephanie she may be the woman he could spend the rest of his life with. Miles is not sure which is more terrifying -- watching Jack mess up his marriage plans by getting involved with Stephanie or letting himself take the risk of trying to start a relationship with the newly-divorced Maya -- who thinks she is talking to a man whose book is about to be published.
Is It Any Good?
In one of the loveliest moments on screen this year, Miles and Maya tell each other what they like about wine. Miles' favorite, pinot noir, is, he says "a hard grape to grow...thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early...Only when someone has taken the time to truly understand its potential can Pinot be coaxed into its fullest expression. And when that happens, its flavors are the most brilliant and subtle and thrilling and ancient on the planet." Maya says she loves the way that wine is a living thing, "constantly evolving and gaining complexity" toward its prime until it reaches its peak. They both know -- as viewers do -- that they are talking about themselves.
Giamatti and Church are magnificent, fully inhabiting beautifully written roles. They are not afraid to let viewers see the considerable flaws of both Miles and Jack, but they are also able to show us their humanity, their connection, and their appeal. Oh and Madsen may have the even tougher challenge, as the female characters are more superficially conceived, fantasy figures whose primary function is to desire and be desired by the men. It is even more impressive, then, that they are able to make Stephanie and Maya so touching and so complete.
Movie Details
Studio: Fox Searchlight, Director: Alexander Payne
Run time: 123 minutes
Theatrical release: 10/22/2004, DVD release: 04/05/2005
MPAA Rating: R for language, some strong sexual content and nudity
Run time: 123 minutes
Theatrical release: 10/22/2004, DVD release: 04/05/2005
MPAA Rating: R for language, some strong sexual content and nudity
Our Members Say
See all 6 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
kind of depressing
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
I Love Sideways
Sideways is this decade's Forrest Gump or Dirty Dancing. The movie has received many nominations and awards (Although I don't agree with the Academy Awards committee snubbing Paul Giamatti. NOT FAIR!). A lot of people think that wine is a big, deep part of this movie, but I see it as more or less a prop that brings the characters and relationships of the movie together. I was really surprised that this movie did not receive an NC-17 rating because they show a male full frontal and usually full frontal MALE nudity qualifies as an NC-17 for any film, but obviously the MPAA decided that they were too in love with the movie and opted for an R rating. I wouldn't recommend this film to families who are into Fundamental Christianity or families who have issues with moral values. I was 19 when I first saw this movie and I saw it again after I turned 20 in January. I loved the film, but then again, I'm a huge fan of Thomas Haden Church and I wouldn't have seen it if Thomas weren't in it!
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
A smart, touching, funny movie, somewhat overpraised...
Sideways is a lovely film with terrific performances by Paul Giamatti (who should have been Oscar nominated) and the other three members of the ensemble. I do think the movie was overly praised by the crtitics. It's an excellent, but not great, film.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Not a barrel of laughs.
My husband and I saw this film. From watching the previews and ads on TV, we thought it was going to be more of a slapstick type comedy, so we were surprised that it was really more of a drama or situational type comedy. We are both over 40 and could sort of relate to the characters....younger people might not appreciate the characters' motivations. We were not offended by the language or nudity, but some people might be. This is definitely not a movie for children or teenagers.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Very good!eenjoyable to watch.
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
Hollywood does like stories about self-destructive actors and writers
This was an okay movie: what it did, it did well. But it wasn't anything new. Two young guys go out on the town before a wedding and overdo it has become two middle-aged guys go out on the Wine Country for a week before a wedding and overdo it. The movie is about obsessions and addictions, written for the POV of the middle-aged. Instead of being a techie whiz, the guy's a wine whiz. It's not good for kids because it's just too jaded and harsh (and it's too formulaic to be worth that).
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