photo courtesy of fox searchlight pictures Sideways - Paul Giamatti and Thomas Hayden Church star in "Sideways," which is the story of what happens to two of the "Porky's" guys when they grow up. Take your dad to this one.

Director Alexander Payne's movies ("About Schmidt" and "Election") have a realism that isn't present in most Hollywood films.

His heroes - while fascinating - aren't always that likable, and his villains aren't pure evil. There isn't always a lot of action in terms of plot because the story is built around conversations. While this makes his films more difficult to watch than most filmmakers, the payoff is far more rewarding.

Payne's latest, "Sideways," is adapted from the novel of the same name by Rex Pickett. The film follows struggling writer and eighth-grade English teacher Miles (Paul Giamatti) as he takes his friend Jack (Thomas Hayden Church) on a bachelor party jaunt through wine country in California.

On the surface, the two friends couldn't be more different, as Miles is a divorced wine aficionado who hasn't had a date in two years, and Jack is a struggling actor who loves the ladies a little too much. Jack's goal for the week before the wedding is to get Miles and, more importantly, himself laid as much as possible.

Both are going through mid-life crises of sorts as they try to find themselves while they hit different wineries and restaurants. Eventually, they each find a woman to occupy their thoughts, and while Miles tries to start a relationship with Maya (Virginia Madsen), Jack ponders canceling the wedding because he thinks he's in love with the wine pourer Stephanie (Sandra Oh).

Blending comedy with fairly serious drama, the relationship between Jack and Miles is complex. They are the odd couple, a wild man and a stiff, but never become caricatures because of their depth. It also helps that their interactions are often hilarious, as Miles teaches Jack how to judge wine but Jack thinks everything "tastes pretty good."

Giamatti gives another solid performance as the hopeless, depressed sap, and Madsen and Oh hold their own. However, the real treat comes from Church, who you'll remember from his embarrassing days as the mechanic on "Wings," the sitcom you don't know why you watched. His character is reminiscent of Vince Vaughn in "Swingers," but you'll still be shocked that 1) Church got a role this good, and 2) he's actually pretty funny.

While Payne's movies aren't lightning fast, "Sideways" doesn't drag. His films are comedies, make no mistake, but the jokes don't smack you in the face like a Ben Stiller flick. Humorous attempts never fall flat because they don't rely on parody or outlandish circumstances, but on conversation and real situations.

While using the word "real" when describing a fictional film is difficult, because "real" means something different to everybody, Payne takes special care to make his movies feel like the world many people know.

The characters don't dress well, and the filmmakers make sure you don't think about who is behind the camera. There isn't a focus on visual themes, and the cinematography is simple and clean. Payne can make his movies on the cheap because he doesn't use expensive props either. For example, the car driven through wine country is a rusted heap from the early '90s.

And it's a good thing his films are cheap, because we'll all get to see a lot more of them in the years to come.