Sideways (2004)
Kernel Score: 79% · 1,842 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Released: 2004-10-22
Runtime: 127 minutes
Where to watch Sideways
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
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 One is an unpublished novelist suffering from depression, and the other is only days away from walking down the aisle.
Sideways parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that this R-rated comedy-drama centers on wine drinking, marijuana use, and adult relationship themes.
- Language: Moderate — Contains strong profanity, as referenced in reviews.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: Strong — Extensive wine drinking is central to the plot, plus marijuana use during a road trip.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Sideways
If you liked Sideways, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Looking: The Movie (2016) — 79%
- Blindspotting (2018) — 80%
- Smoke (1995) — 81%
- Ruby Sparks (2012) — 79%
- The Hangover (2009) — 87%
- The First Day of the Rest of Your Life (2008) — 83%
- 20th Century Women (2016) — 84%
- Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) — 82%
Director
Cast
- Paul Giamatti as Miles
- Thomas Haden Church as Jack
- Virginia Madsen as Maya
- Sandra Oh as Stephanie
- Marylouise Burke as Miles's Mother
- Jessica Hecht as Victoria
- Missy Doty as Cammi
- M.C. Gainey as Cammi's Husband
- Alysia Reiner as Christine Erganian
- Shake Tukhmanyan as Mrs. Erganian
Sideways FAQ
Is Sideways good?
Sideways has a 79% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 1,842 audience ratings.
Where can I watch Sideways?
In the US you can rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Sideways OK for kids?
Sideways is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that this R-rated comedy-drama centers on wine drinking, marijuana use, and adult relationship themes.
What movies are like Sideways?
If you liked Sideways, try Looking: The Movie, Blindspotting, Smoke and Ruby Sparks.