Sideways (2004): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Sideways is a 2004 comedy drama directed by Alexander Payne, starring Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church and Virginia Madsen. It is based on Sideways by Rex Pickett. It runs 2 hours 6 minutes and earned $109.7 million worldwide on a $16 million budget. It won 1 Oscar, including Writing (Adapted Screenplay), and 15 awards in all. Critics gave it 94 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.5/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 6m (126 min)
- Director
- Alexander Payne
- Original language
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Japanese - Studio
- Fox Searchlight Pictures
- Budget
- $16M
- Based on
- Sideways by Rex Pickett
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Sideways About?
The premise of Sideways without spoilers, adapted from Sideways by Rex Pickett. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A struggling writer facing a stalled career and a failing marriage reluctantly agrees to a week-long wine-tasting trip through California's wine country with his free-spirited best friend, who is preparing for his own wedding. During their journey through the vineyards, they both confront personal challenges, explore the nuances of friendship, and grapple with themes of love, loss, and missed opportunities.
Sideways Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- wine
- road trip
- middle age
- california
- vineyard
- wine tasting
- writer
- barely legal magazine
- male full frontal nudity
- scantily clad female
- cleavage
- deception
+38 more Show fewer
- wine snob
- pinot
- merlot
- wine connoisseur
- wine country
- actor
- on the road
- sexual attraction
- unfaithfulness
- cheating wife
- extramarital affair
- infidelity
- coitus
- copulation
- lust
- leg spreading
- sex in bed
- car crashing into a tree
- talking dirty during sex
- pinot noir wine
- wine tour
- rough sex
- casual sex
- caught having sex
- unfaithful wife
- womanizer
- winery
- single mother
- premarital sex
- jacuzzi
- divorce
- divorcee
- cheating on girlfriend
- broken nose
- armenian orthodox
- writing
- sex scene
- breasts
Sideways Cast
Paul Giamatti leads the cast, with Thomas Haden Church and Virginia Madsen. Directed by Alexander Payne; 4 actors are credited in all.
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Director Alexander Payne
Sideways Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Sideways 94 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.5/10.
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IMDb 7.5 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 94 Metascore
User score 7.6
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 71% User score
See on TMDB
Sideways Plot Summary
What happens in Sideways from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Miles Raymond, portrayed by Paul Giamatti, is a struggling writer and a passionate wine enthusiast, battling feelings of depression while working as a middle school English teacher in San Diego. As his friend and former college roommate, Jack Cole, played by Thomas Haden Church, prepares for his impending nuptials, Miles agrees to take him on a road trip through the picturesque wine country of Santa Ynez Valley. While Miles hopes to unwind and savor the good life, Jack is looking forward to one last fling before settling down.
Full summary
The whole story of Sideways, scene by scene
Sideways Box Office & Budget
Sideways grossed $109.7 million worldwide on a $16 million budget, 6.9 times what it cost. $71.5 million came from the US and Canada and $38.2 million (35%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$109.7M
6.9× its budget
- US & Canada
- $71.5M
- International
- $38.2M
- Budget
- $16M
Sideways Awards & Nominations
Sideways won 1 Oscar, including Writing (Adapted Screenplay), and 15 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Spirit Awards 2005, with 6 wins from 6 nominations.
15 wins32 nominations7 ceremonies
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Spirit Awards 2005 6 wins · 6 nominations- Won Best Director – Alexander Payne
- Won Best Feature
- Won Best Male Lead – Paul Giamatti
- Won Best Screenplay
- Won Best Supporting Female – Virginia Madsen
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Critics' Choice 2005 5 wins · 8 nominations- Won Best Acting Ensemble
- Won Best Picture
- Won Best Supporting Actor – Thomas Haden Church
- Won Best Supporting Actress – Virginia Madsen
- Won Best Writer
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Golden Globes 2005 1 win · 7 nominations- Won Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
- Nominated Best Director – Motion Picture – Alexander Payne
- Nominated Best Motion Picture – Drama
- Nominated Best Original Score – Motion Picture
- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Actor) – Paul Giamatti
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Oscars 2005 1 win · 5 nominations- Won Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
- Nominated Actor in a Supporting Role – Thomas Haden Church
- Nominated Actress in a Supporting Role – Virginia Madsen
- Nominated Best Picture
- Nominated Directing – Alexander Payne
Show all 7 ceremonies Show fewer ceremonies
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Actor Awards (SAG) 2005 1 win · 4 nominations- Won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
- Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role – Virginia Madsen
- Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role – Paul Giamatti
- Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role – Thomas Haden Church
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BAFTA 2005 1 win · 1 nomination- Won Best Adapted Screenplay
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DGA Awards 2005 1 nomination- Nominated Feature Film – Alexander Payne
Sideways Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Sideways.
How Well Do You Know Sideways?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is Miles' former college roommate and actor friend?
Cars in Sideways
48 cars on screen, including the 1987 SAAB 900 Cabrio and the Honda Shadow 250.
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1987 SAAB 900 Cabrio Main role -
Honda Shadow 250 Important role -
1986 Audi 4000 B2 Minor role -
2002 Cadillac Escalade Minor role
Seen Sideways?
Movies Like Sideways
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Crossroads, May Wine and Sidewalks of New York.
Sideways FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of Sideways, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Sideways?
Sideways runs 2 hours 6 minutes (126 minutes).
When was Sideways released?
Sideways was released on October 22, 2004.
Who directed Sideways?
Sideways was directed by Alexander Payne.
More films by Alexander Payne Who is in the cast of Sideways?
Sideways stars Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church and Virginia Madsen, among 4 credited actors.
How much did Sideways make at the box office?
Sideways grossed $109.7 million worldwide ($71.5 million domestic, $38.2 million international) on a budget of $16 million.
How is Sideways rated?
Sideways has 7.5/10 on IMDb, 94 on Metacritic and 71% on TMDB.
Is Sideways based on a book?
Yes. Sideways is adapted from Sideways by Rex Pickett.
What awards did Sideways win?
Sideways won 15 awards from 32 nominations, including Best Director at the Spirit Awards 2005.
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