Sideways (soundtrack)

Sideways
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Alexander Payne
Produced by	Michael London
Screenplay by	Alexander Payne Jim Taylor
Based on	Sideways by Rex Pickett
Starring	Paul Giamatti Thomas Haden Church Virginia Madsen Sandra Oh
Music by	Rolfe Kent
Cinematography	Phedon Papamichael
Edited by	Kevin Tent
Production company	Michael London Productions
Distributed by	Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release date	September 13, 2004 (2004-09-13) (TIFF) October 22, 2004 (2004-10-22) (United States)
Running time	127 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$16 million
Box office	$109.7 million

Sideways is a 2004 American black comedy drama film directed by Alexander Payne and written by Jim Taylor and Payne. A film adaptation of Rex Pickett's novel of the same name, 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. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2004, and was released in the United States on October 22, 2004.

Payne and Taylor won multiple awards for their screenplay, with the cast also receiving accolades for their performances. Sideways won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Hayden Church) and Best Supporting Actress (Madsen).

Miles Raymond is an unsuccessful writer, a wine aficionado, and a divorced, depressed, borderline alcoholic middle-aged English teacher living in San Diego. He takes Jack Cole, his soon-to-be-married actor friend and former college roommate, on a road trip through the Santa Ynez Valley wine country. Though Cole is still recognized on occasion, his acting career appears to have peaked years earlier, when he had a role in a popular TV soap. He now does commercial voice-overs and plans to enter his future father-in-law's successful real estate business. Miles wants to spend the week relaxing, playing golf and enjoying good food and wine. However, much to Miles' consternation, Jack is on the prowl and wants one last sexual fling before settling into domestic life.