

Two middle-aged men embark on a spiritual journey through Californian wine country. One is an unpublished novelist suffering from depression, and the other is only days away from walking down the aisle.
Acting
Giamatti's saddest man in America energy is unmatched.
Writing
Payne and Taylor's script is cruel, tender, and hilarious.
Cinematography
Santa Barbara wine country has never looked this quietly desperate.

Director
Alexander Payne
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Miles's rant against Merlot supposedly tanked American Merlot sales for years; wineries called it 'the Sideways effect.'
The 'I'm not drinking any fucking Merlot' scene was improvised after Giamatti's actual frustration with his character's pretension.