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Release Date: May 2nd, 2007 (Regal Union Square and AMC/Loews Lincoln Square) by Fox Searchlight Pictures. Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly, Jeremy Sisto, Andy Griffith, Eddie Jemison, Lew Temple. Directed by Adrienne Shelly. BASIC PREMISE: Jenna (Russell), a pregnant waitress at a pie diner, cheats on her abusive husband, Earl (Sisto), with her OB/GYN, Dr. Pomatter (Fillion). ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: Waitress has more charm and sweetness than the average romantic comedy, thanks to its stellar, charismatic cast. Keri Russell plays Jenna, a waitress at a pie diner whose abusive husband, Earl, doesn’t understand her passion for baking pies. She refuses to tell him that she’s pregnant and wants to leave her unhappy marriage with him, but at the same time, she feels obligated to stay with him. Everything changes when she meets her new OB/GYN, Dr. Pomatter, a handsome, well-mannered young man who flirts with her in his office. The lively supporting characters include Jenna’s coworkers, Dawn (Shelly) and Becky (Hines), and Joe, played by the scene-stealing Andy Griffith, the owner of the pie diner who adds plenty of dry humor. Keri Russell is the real surprise here, though, in a very charming performance which channels Diane Lane from Under the Tuscan Sun. What keeps this plot from being a contrived sit-com is the consistently smart and witty script by writer/director Adrienne Shelly, who was tragically murdered in November 2006. Shelly breaths life into every scene without making them come across as too convoluted or sappy. Moreover, just looking at all those delicious, succulent pies will keep your eyes glued to the screen and your mouth watering. SPIRITUAL VALUE: Joe has plenty of sound advice to give Jenna as she learns how to find her inner strength to become independent and to follow her heart. Just like the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining—yes, even clichés have some truth to them. If Waitress were a pie, it have just the right combination of sweetness, bitterness and freshness along with vibrancy and warmth. INSULT TO YOUR INTELLIGENCE: None. NUMBER OF TIMES I CHECKED MY WATCH: 0 IN A NUTSHELL: A sweet, charming romantic comedy with plenty of wisdom and warmth. Waitress does for pies what Sideways did for wine. RECOMMENDED WAY TO WATCH: Movie Theater. Main Page Alphabetical Menu Chronological Menu The "W" Menu ______________________________________________________ |
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