Written
March 1, 2008
Goes Over Like a Fine Wine
I'm biased when it comes to Alexander Payne. His segment of 2006's "Paris Je T'Ame," 2002's "About Schmidt" and this one from 2004 were all my favorite movies of their respective years. They all share his distinctive stamp, which in my opinion is unlike anybody else working in film. They're about ordinary people. The middle-aged American lady tourist in "Paris;" the retired midwesterner in "Schmidt;" and the two boy-men on a wine-tasting bachelor party in "Sideways." Each of his films toys around with regular situations, tweaking them for maximum humor, and finding the deeper meaning that we can relate to. His characters are sometimes pathetic, but also real and worthy of compassion. You recognize their flaws (nothing's sugar-coated in an Alexander Payne movie), you laugh at and with them, and you're moved to root for them. Being a Colorado kid, there's just something in this Nebraskan fimmaker's work that's just so right-on each time out: something sad, funny, joyful and true.
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