Right from the start, Alexander Payne's long-awaited follow-up to 'Sideways' asks viewers to accept two fairly hard-to-swallow premises: (1) that Hawaii can be a depressing place to live, and (2) that anyone who looks, talks, and charms like George Clooney could wake up to discover that his wife has been sweating up someone else's sheets. Moviefone's advice: sit back, suspend your disbelief, and enjoy the show. With a fabulous cast firing on all cylinders (watch for Matthew Lillard's career-rescuing turn) and a story that weaves together humor and heartbreak without veering into schmaltz, this may be the picture to beat on Oscar night. -- M.H.

Right from the start, Alexander Payne's long-awaited follow-up to 'Sideways' asks viewers to accept two fairly hard-to-swallow premises: (1) that Hawaii can be a depressing place to live, and (2) that anyone who looks, talks, and charms like George Clooney could wake up to discover that his wife has been sweating up someone else's sheets. Moviefone's advice: sit back, suspend your disbelief, and enjoy the show. With a fabulous cast firing on all cylinders (watch for Matthew Lillard's career-rescuing turn) and a story that weaves together humor and heartbreak without veering into schmaltz, this may be the picture to beat on Oscar night. -- M.H.