Sideways is a slice of life in Miles Raymond’s midlife crisis. Rex Pickett’s novel and Payne’s film fail to distinguish whether Miles is a sad sack or a creep. Though there aren’t any picnics in Rex Pickett’s novel, Payne invented three picnic episodes hoping to present Miles in a pleasant situation.
The first is Miles Raymond’s memory of an “incredible view of endless vineyards” that he associated with ex-wife Virginia when they picnicked on very, “Victoria and I used to like this view,” Miles says, “Once we had a picnic here and drank a ’95 Opus One. With smoked salmon and artichokes, but we didn’t care.”
The second is an idyllic picnic on a hillside near La Purisima Mission Church at sunset. The scene’s beauty, the sunset glow, and the distant vineyards smooth Mile’s anxiety about his relationship with Maya Randall. They sit beside one another but do not touch. With them is Jack Cole, a cad having a fling even though he is about to be married the next Sunday.
At the third, Miles and Maya have a leisurely time eating store-bought food. They sit comfortably on the grass; he’s doing a crossword puzzle; she’s reading the paper.
They drink red wine in glass stems, eat bread they drink with what food is unknown.
Featured Image: Sunset near La Purisima Mission Church: Jack Cole (Thomas Haden Church) and Stephanie (Sandra Oh) sitting on the grass with Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti), and Maya Randall (Virginia Madsen)
See Alexander Payne. Sideways (2004). The screenplay by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor based on Rex Pickett’s novel; Rex Pickett. Sideways. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2004.