Waitress (Widescreen Edition) Reviews

• Heartfelt and Artistic

  
  By A13D4E28S63SYF on 2007-06-03
  "Waitress" is one of the best films I have had the privelege to see so far this year. It is right up there with "Namesake." I loved everything about this movie: the directing, acting, writing. Let's start with the directing. Just as Scorsese did in "After Hours" and Truffaut did in "The 400 Blows," Shelly showed her heartfelt and artistic vision in "Waitress." There's one particular scene sequence that comes to mind that exemplifies this vision. It happens right after Jenna made love to Dr. Pomatter. There's a silly afterglow on her face. You see it when she's carrying trays in the restaurant. You see it when she's making pies. And you especially see it when she's sitting on a bench, waiting for the bus. That look on her face and the way the film was cut with those quick scenes left a profound impact on the viewer. You knew you were in a moment of brilliance. You can just feel how happy and liberated Jenna felt at that moment in the movie. Now let's talk about the acting. Everyone was perfectly cast. I liked how Jenna was cold as ice at the beginning of the movie, warm-hearted in the middle, and assertive by the end. I liked how Dr. Pomatter was nervous at the beginning, calm in the middle, and love-struck by the end. But the character I was impressed by the most was Earl. Here is someone who could've been one-dimensional. In most movies he would've been a real jerk with no redeeming qualities. That's not the way Earl was portrayed in "Waitress." Yeah he was a control freak with fits of temper. But there was a reason for his unacceptable behavior: he was insecure and required constant approval by Jenna. That scene in the restaurant where he broke into the wedding reception, I was sure he was going to beat the living crap out of Jenna. Instead, he cries like a baby because he wants to know why Jenna hid money all over the house. This scene--which brings up the terrific writing--exemplifies how this movie is not a cliche and very real to life. I could go on and on about how terrific this movie is, but I highly recommend you to experience it for yourself.
  
  

• Pie

  
  By A1TJPMB7N776WS on 2007-05-28
  Towards the end of Adrienne Shelley's poignant "Waitress" there is a scene involving a very pregnant Jenna ( a luminous Kari Russell) and Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion) in which, as described by Jenna in voice-over, Pomatter embraces Jenna for 20 minutes with warmth, caring and empathy and more importantly for Jenna without a hint of lust. It's the kind of embrace that an intimate friend would give you: an embrace of platonic love, an embrace of understanding and commiseration. It is also an embrace which pretty much encapsulates all that is good and real about "Waitress": a film that is ultimately about hope and love and the redemptive properties of Pie.
  Though often bordering on the sitcomishness of "Alice," Adrienne Shelley's ("Trust") "Waitress" manages for the most part to get at the heart of its concerns with humor and a good hearted wistfulness that never turns sour or maudlin: terms that can also be applied to Kari Russell's career making performance as Jenna.
  "Waitress" is sly, smart and level headed. It is not always driven by anything resembling common sense but instead by those things that cling closer to the human heart like understanding and a very basic and profound humanity.
  
  
  

• Dropped Into the Pie Shop Universe

  
  By A1IWWRZJOXOSYP on 2007-06-10
  While "Waitress" is not flashy, it puts a smile on your face. Kerri Russell will probably forever be tagged as TV's Felicity - Senior Year Collection (The Complete Fourth Season). As Jenna, she turns in a comic & varied performance that bounces between joy & despair, submissiveness & assertiveness. Under director Adreienne Shelly's deft touch, the film handles the subject of domestic abuse with sensitivity and caring.
  
  Jeremy Sisto who will probably be remembered for his appearances on TV's Six Feet Under - The Complete Third Season plays Jenna's controlling husband Earl. I kept flashing on the Dixie Chicks' song, but it was never used in the film that has a great musical selections. Sisto plays the role as a bruiser, but also with levels of dependency and desperation. His selfish nature only buys into Jenna's pregnancy when she promises not to love the baby more than she loves him. As she promises, the irony is that she does not love him at all and lives in complete fear. Each time he grabs the money she makes from her, pulls up and demands that she meet his needs, as an audience we cringe.
  
  As I watched the movie, I did not know that the waitress Dawn was also the film's director or that she was murdered before the film's release. These real-life events give the film a haunting feel. Shelly's performance is affecting as the girl who wants love so badly that she sets up five-minute dates so she won't be disappointed.
  
  Nathan Fillion who was in "Slither" and six episodes of the TV series "Drive" this year plays Dr. Pomatter who finds himself irresistibly attracted to Jenna. The sparks that fly between the two put a smile on our face, despite the fact that we are watching two married people carry on an affair. Again, Shelly's touch is magical as a subject that should not be funny or romantic is given such a human face that we find ourselves drawn into their world.
  
  Cheryl Hines from the film Cake & TV's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" plays the third waitress, Becky. She has one of those amazing smiles and embraces the character lovingly. The theme of an affair is repeated again as we find that Becky cares for a disabled spouse and finds a little secret joy.
  
  North Carolina favorite Andy Griffith plays Old Joe who owns the pie shop. His banter with Jenna shows a crusty old geezer who observantly dispenses advice. It is an excellent cameo that could provide a sentimental dark horse Oscar nomination. Lew Temple who was in "Domino" plays the diner manager Cal who badgers the waitresses every time they head to the bathroom to discuss matters. Shelly gives him some touching levels as we see the scene where he dispenses his philosophy of life to Jenna. Eddie Jemison who has been in all the Ocean's films (11, 12 & 13) almost steals the show as the oddball romancer Ogie whose on-the-spot poetry is hysterically touching and awful at the same time. Shelly's screenplay reveals so many levels for each of the characters that we feel like we have been dropped into their real-world universe. This excellent small-budget film deserves great rewards at the box office. Enjoy!
  
  
  

• What a wonderful "feel good" film!

  
  By A3CKDM4VZNT9VR on 2007-09-18
  What can I say? You leave the theatre sighing and, if you're lucky, a tingle down your spine. This is an Everywoman movie and the writing was just superb. Since someone else took care of the plot description, I can focus on what was so special about this film. I went to it purely for Nathan Fillion's part in it and was blown away by Keri Russell. I had never been a big fan of hers; I was neutral about her and I hadn't seen her in much. She IS this character. Funny, heartbreaking, smart, stuck, honest, and lonely. The chemistry between Russell and Fillion was smokin', but so was her chemistry with everyone else! Her scenes with Andy Griffith could melt any "chick flick" cynic out there!
  
  Okay. Yes. I admit that I love Steel Magnolias, Mystic Pizza, Because I Said So, Beaches, Ya Ya Sisterhood, Practicl Magic, Thelma and Louise, Charlie's Angels, etc
  This should not immediately discredit me from being an unbiased reviewer. I find movies like The Notebook and Bridges of Madison County too maudlin. I like movies like Rush Hour, Serenity, and Demolition Man just as much.
  
  I guess what I'm trying to say in a very circuitous way is that this movie does fit into a genre. It's romantic, dramatic, funny, sad, quirky, dark, and uplifing. The use of pies as a segue is great and I don't even like pie!
  
  

• IT WILL MAKE YOU WANT PIE

  
  By A3TWCND9PMIOG5 on 2007-09-17
  How my ratings work:
  5 - I really liked/loved it
  4 - I liked it
  3 - Could've been better/worth a look
  2 - Just didn't live up to the potential
  1 - Simply aweful
  
  This is a wonderful film, just so warm hearted. It's so sad that the writer/director Adrienne Shelly (who also co-stars in the film) was murdered and never got to see the reception of the film. I'll give the basic plot: Keri Russell plays Jenna, a waitress in a small southern town who works at a diner that makes pies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Jenna is in an unhappy marriage with abusive husband Earl (Jeremy Sisto) and has discovered she's pregnant. Things get complicated when she falls for her new doctor (Nathan Fillion). So that's all I'm gonna say on the plot, I don't wanna give too much away. I really enjoyed this film; it's well written, acted, and directed all around. There isn't a bad actor in the group, everyone gives it there all. It was a delight to see Andy Griffith in a film; I like many, has grown up on Andy for several years. The best part of the film is Keri Russell, who I've known of for years but never really thought much about her until seeing this movie. She has shown her range with this film and I hope to see her in more. I'm sure everyone will find something to like about this film; you should see it at least once. Word of advice, do not see it on an empty stomach, there is a lot of footage of pie baking. Even if you're not a pie fan, this will make you hungry.
  
  
• A wonderful film
  By A37V3DJS3XNVEC on 2007-09-21
  This film is enjoyable on many levels. It is funny and thought provoking. It has some wonderful characters who have some really good lines. The writing and direction are first rate and there is even some very artful and beautiful cinematography. Andy Griffith's character is one he was born to play. Firefly fans will enjoy seeing Nathan Fillion in a part worthy of Mal.
  
  Adrienne Shelly's last film is her best film. Her untimely death before the film was completed is the only note of sadness of this film: her three year old daughter Sophie plays Keri Russell's toddler daughter at the end of the film. It is sad that she will never know the wonderful person her mother was.
  
  
• Waitress is wonderful: Andy Griffith's minor role is great
  By ABOTQXNUBA1MM on 2007-12-31
  One of those great, great, great little indies that is better than much of the over-hyped 2007 menu from largr studios. If you like PUSHING DAISIES, you'll love the pies here, too.
  
  Why, oh why can't studios produced simply-pleasing films like this with as much heart?
  
  A small town waitress (Keri Russell) with an abusive white-trash husband (played so well that you just want to choke him to death by Jeremy Sisto, aka Billy from SIX FEET UNDER) has a simple wish in her controlled and trapped little life, but her husband blocks any freedom or creativity from her: if she shines, he beats her down. The diner is ala ALICE and the town's literal owner is played with great gumption by andy Griffith, picking a fine little role in a fine little tale. You've got to applaud actors who play jerks: it takes twice the effort to make it work, and they both do it well.
  
  When our waitress finds herself pregnant, she also finds a new doctor and there's the tale.
  
  Nicely done, though obviously shot on a small budget but every penny lands on the screen. some stilted performances but as characters, every actor breathes as much personality into their roles, large or small, to make this a prime example of how to make a lovable and memorable movie. BTW: downloaded this through AMAZON's Unbox feature, right into our tivo. If you haven't tried it and you've got a Tivo and a pretty fast connection, what a great service!
  
  
• 'Tis a gift to be simple...
  By A328S9RN3U5M68 on 2007-11-28
  On the surface WAITRESS is a simple, honest, unpretentious, funny, tender, and sensitive film about simple people in a small Southern town: it is the core of the film, the examination of individual's choices, consequences, rights, and fraternity that makes the little Indie so special. And another feature that adds a dimension of significance to the movie is that actress/writer/director Adrienne Shelly did not live to see the magic she created: Shelly was murdered in November 2006, a loss of a superb budding talent.
  
  Using a very small cast of characters WAITRESS takes place in a Pie Diner, owned by the crusty and demanding Old Joe (Andy Griffith), managed by the grumpy Cal (Lew Temple), and run by three waitresses - frumpy little Dawn (Adrienne Shelly) looking for love, been-there-done-that Becky (Cheryl Hines) whose married to a drooling waste, and Jenna (Keri Russell), an unhappily married (to Earl - Jeremy Sisto) pie maker expert who longs to leave her marriage but has just discovered she is pregnant. She comes under the care of the OB-GYN Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion - also married) and in the course of her care the two fall in love. How Jenna manages to cope with the disruptive pregnancy and the other waitresses deal with their simple lives is the crux of the story. And while this simple plot lone doesn't appear to offer much, the manner in which it is written and acted makes is a little jewel.
  
  Many are touting the emergence of Keri Russell as a serious actress as the reason for seeing this film, but the real genius behind the honest simplicity of the story is the sadly deceased Adrienne Shelly. She will be missed. In a series of fitting homages the featurettes add to the DVD version of this film. Grady Harp, November 07
  
  
  
  
• Pie in the sky
  By A1M41U1ZKJD8YI on 2007-12-10
  As someone else has pointed out, this waaaaay over-rated indie undoubtedly owes its inflated rep more to its tragic backstory (director/writer/co-star Adrienne Shelly was murdered several months before film premiered) than to anything that transpires on screen. Misleading ad campaign doesn't help; contrary to DVD packaging this is NOT a chick-lite "feel good" comedy.
  
  Yes, Keri Russell is endearing as the feisty pie-baking heroine but movie basically plays like an episode of the old TV sitcom Alice (right down to three cliched diner waitresses--Russell as the semi-practical dreamer, a wise-cracking "Flo" type and a ditzy "Vera" clone, plus a SOB cook whose name might as well be Mel), tricked out with "heavy" made-for-cable TV movie issues such as abusive husbands, extramarital affairs and unwanted pregnancies.
  
  Unfortunately, sympathetic rave reviews have elevated what probably would have been a pleasant direct-to-video time-killer into something that can't begin to fulfill its unrealistic praise. Unlike the heroine's fabled pastries, this pie falls flat.
  
  
  
  
  
• Lame even by chick-flick standards!
  By A2UPTJQMXTYY8G on 2007-12-30
  I agree with reviewer Lewis Jackman, who says this movie was way overrated just because Adrienne Shelly died before it was released. I could tell within about ten minutes of listening to the inane dialogue that this was going to be disappointing. Keri is soooo beautiful, but neither she nor any of the other characters was believable, except maybe Andy Griffith. (Like, why would beautiful Keri Russell even consider marrying an abusive meathead like Jeremy Sisto's "Earl"?) Even the passionate love scenes were so exaggerated as to be ridiculous. The film was very anti-men, too -- other than Griffith's character, the men were all either weak, nerdy or abusive. Jeremy Sisto, who was so great in "Six Feet Under," is utterly wasted here.
  
  
• "Start Fresh, Jenna."
  By A1SPB225CVTRUU on 2007-05-19
  Waitress is surprisingly funny, charming, delicious, and even moving at times. It's about a depressed, discontended waitress named Jenna(Keri Russell) dealing with her daily mundane job at pie shop and her abusive husband, and how she faces new challenges and a romance with a married doctor when she unintentionally became pregnant. Jenna is very unhappy woman and a very good baker. She plans to secretly save up enough money and enter a national pie baking contest and run away from her nasty husband. Her two coworkers at the pie shop are good friends and supportive to her, and they also have their share of unhappy romanctic encounters. Jenna's life becomes more chaotic when she has an affair with the local doctor whom she thought might actually be an ideal future husband material, but nothing is what it it seems sometimes. Jenna befriends her regular customer Old Joe(Andy Griffith) who is also the shop owner, and eventually this wise old man becomes her advisor when things get ugly at home with her husband. Will Jenna stay home after giving birth to the baby, and continue to be miserable? Or will she run away with the doctor and start a new life? Or does she have other options....?
  
  This is a very charming film and the characters have plenty of funny moments to work with. It's highly entertaining and I was very taken by Keri Russel's performances. The supporting cast all turned in strong performances. I thought the Adrianne Shelly who played the fellow waitress and her funny boyfriend had the funniest moment in the movie. The ending was kind of predictable but I also thought it had built up for the audiences to expect to see a second ending which I won't reveal.
  
  
• Unusual & unexpected
  By A3N1H8BSULHP3U on 2007-11-29
  I really didn't care for this movie, though I admit I'm rather traditional in my tastes. The characters were really bizarre & the plot was shallow, all about having affairs and trying to be happy in the moment. The ending made up for some of it, becuase the main character, Jenna, who had hated the thought of having a baby througout the entire movie, finally came to the realization what an incredible gift it was when she first held her daughter in her arms. She also broke off her affair when she realized how much she and her boyfriend could hurt others because of their cheating. The pies Jenna created were also very cute and delicious-looking. :-) The best thing about this movie was Andy Griffith's role, but I was disappointed with how his story was kind of left hanging at the end.
  
  I can see how people with a certain stle of humor would enjoy this movie, but it just wasn't anything special to me. I felt the previews were misleading because I really expected more from it.
  
  
• A Woman's Life (Bitterroot and Honey) Pie
  By A3EE0H0NWQ9QVL on 2007-06-17
  It's hard not to resist the obvious metaphor that Adrienne Shelly's final work `Waitress' is a wonderful slice of life, but a film this rich deserves more than banal clichés. Nevertheless, the film is very satisfying from start to finish and is a must for anyone who wants to commiserate (soothing ginger pie) over the wounds of misogyny in an understandably jaded feminine existence. Much like `Volver' in the sense that it is mainly a women's affair, the film has a power to satisfy anyone with a palette for well-made movies that are cleverly told and leave a lingering aftertaste.
  
  `The Waitress' is about, well.., a waitress. Jenna (played true-to-life by Keri Russell, brimming with a wide range of emotion), has one passion in life: making her pies. With great pride she presents a host of different sweetmeats, each with its own distinctive ingredients and descriptive titles to mirror life. Her great ambition is to enter her works in a "United States Pie" contest; one that would sustain her enough to get out from under her shackling existence with louse-spouse husband, Earl (Jeremy Sisto). His insecurity manifests itself by cueing his reluctant wife to say and confess things she doesn't mean, and by jealously guarding money that may buy out aspects of independence in her existence. (Their heated, one-way arguments set up for unseasoned rhubarb pie.) Add to that the ingredient of an unwanted pregnancy, and we're set up with an intent attention to the details of Jenna's story.
  
  Most of the focus in at Joe's Pie Diner, the main outlet for her passion. Here she finds friendship with two fellow waitresses who are looking for respite and romance in their own lives. Becky (Shelly) finds sparks by answering personals ads; while spirited Dawn (Cheryl Hines) finds a side dish while caring for an invalid husband. All their lives overlap one another, even with growling cook/manager, Cal, who barks out orders with unrelenting grouchiness. They all share about the same misery and rejuvenation (including "Falling in love [Mousse] pie"). For all her trouble, Jenna gets some just desserts in her own life. First of all, she musters up some sweetness for elderly diner owner, Joe (Andy Griffith), who can on a turn be scathingly ornery or genuinely sweet. Next in line, is her obstetrician Dr. Jim Pomatter (Nathan Fillion), whom she resentfully notes has replaced her familiar female doctor. He's from Connecticut and is in some ways out of place in their deep Southern community. Nevertheless, he manages to tear down her jaundiced demeanor and provide a slice of sweet (potato) pie.
  
  The extra ingredients make 'The Waitress' special. The sensual construction of fast-lapsed pies with Jenna's own narration is well-crafted, and the music makes each scene a symphony. Earl brings foreboding music with jaggedly edited scenes. Jenna and Jim provide classical music one notch lower than Tchycovsky's `Romeo and Juliet,' complete with spinning camera angles, and a fussy little toddler in the diner inspires the horror of Wagner. Topped off with some great dialogue, including narrated letters to her unborn baby that work like an unbosoming soliloquy, and we have a movie of distinct perfection.
  
  (`The Waitress' reminded me of loose associations to other movies, including `Alice Doesn't Live Here Any More' Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and `Terms of Endearment,'Terms of Endearment but these are only hints for the distinctive flavor of this movie. Noting the nature of Adrienne Shelly`s tragic death, misfortune played an even worse role in her own life. )
  
  
• One of the worst movies I've ever seen
  By A1DZU4AQR7KD9R on 2008-01-07
  This is like a very long student film, with an over-obvious, on-the-nose script, poor characterization, a gimmicky premise that doesn't work, stiff, uncorrected acting and lots and lots of exposition. Several actors I like are wasted here, particularly Nathan Filliom and Jeremy Sisto. I'm an independent film fan, but I honestly couldn't wait until it was over... A big disappointment after all the rave reviews. Oh, well. If you loved "Thelma & Louise" you might like this, but there are plenty of much better films to try first. (Axton)
  
  
• Sweet as Pie
  By A2I0CEBYLTLMXS on 2007-05-13
  At first I thought this story -of a young woman stuck in a bad marriage, who starts an affair with her gynecologist after she gets pregnant- was going to be too saccharine for my taste, but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Keri Russell gives a thoughtful and nuanced performance, and the rest of the characters are quirky yet sympathetic. Adrienne Shelly's loss (she was murdered before the release of the movie) is tragic not only in a personal sense, but also because in this, her only film, she proves she had talent as a writer and a director. One can only imagine what she could have done had she not been robbed of her life. RIP, Adrienne.
  
  
  
• Wonderful
  By A3LXJ9AA6D0Y2N on 2007-05-19
  Nathan Fillion was delicious and Keri Russell was surprisingly charming. There's nothing new to be explored here, but Adrienne Shelly did a great job giving it a fresh, fun treatment.
  
  
• If not for Keri Russell it would have been 1 star.
  By A3GAY5VH2LDFWK on 2007-12-04
  Jenna (Keri Russel) is a waitress/pie maker in a small diner in a small town. Jenna is trapped in a marriage to Earl (Jeremy Sisto) who is an abusive, controlling person. Jenna deals with her frustrations and life problems by creating new pies for the diner where she works. Jenna has a plan to enter a pie baking contest and to run away with the prize money until she finds out she is pregnant with Earl's baby.
  
  This movie was poor on so many levels. The only saving grace for me was Keri Russell and that she is still as attractive as she was when she played Felicity.
  
  The Good: Besides Keri Russell, there were a few heart warming spots and a laugh here and there but that is about it.
  
  The Bad: Character problems. I found it hard to identify with and or root for or against any of the characters. Keri's character is a person who is afraid to leave an abusive situation. Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillon), an OB Gyn, who is cheating on his wife with a waitress, Cheryl Hines and Adrienne Shelly play waitress's right out of your local waffle house and Earl an abusive controlling husband. I just wasn't interested.
  
  The story and characters weren't believable. Jenna is 5'4" and weighs about 110lbs and I am supposed to believe that she makes pies all the time? Dr. Pomatter has a wife in Medical school and is willing to risk his career and wife to have an affair with a pregnant waitress? Nathan Fillon just didn't exude the confidence and ego I have found typical of doctors. The whole thing just didn't work.
  
  Overall: I would recommend watching this with the volume off just to see Keri Russell. This movie was poor and there any number of better things to watch.
  
  
  
• Uniquely sweet
  By AIPSUF99BQ17T on 2007-12-14
  I suspected this would be a light and cheery little movie and eagerly looked forward to seeing it... but I did not expect to be so blown away by it! This was no mere little trifle or cream puff ( OK OK) but was a delightful and richly emotional story.
  Keri Russell, who I have only seen in the celebrity magazines, is not only exceptionally beautiful but a superb actress! She had warmth, depth, grace, and an honesty which made her character not just another archetype of a sweet woman trapped in an unhappy life who eventually breaks free... OK yes it was that classic tale but told in a wholly unique and colorful style. The dialog was refreshing, clever, funny and the characters each had a believability that went beyond stereotype. This was Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore ( one of my absolute favorite movies of all time with the perfect Ellen Burstyn) told a wee bit differently, and just as enjoyably.
  I truly enjoyed all the actors and actresses, but I have a special warm spot for Cheryl Hines, she is one of the reasons I keep going back to Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO, and in this,as one of the waitresses, she showed her talent again! She is a sparkling delight.
  Throughout the movie,I kept saying to myself how sad and what a tragic waste that Adrienne Shelly did not live to see her success, that her life was cut short in such a strange and horrific way. Here, her writing and directing talents were at their peak ( I had seen her 1st movie many years ago and her quirky beauty and talent stood out)and this movie showed how she had grown to pretty much a brilliant multi talented artist .
  Every character could have been a flat caricature but instead, each was infused with details and humanity, even the abusive husband had moments of tenderness, which showed even more how Keri's character would have been sucked into staying in such an unhappy scene.
  The pies! I wish there was a recipe book from the movie for them.
  And the baby! The scenes with the baby ( I can not say more because I do not want to give anything away) were gems in themselves.
  This was a beautiful and bittersweet piece of love and I will always cherish the memory of Adrienne Shelly for giving this to the world.
  
  
  
• Great.....now I'm hungry!
  By A3C6CZC2JP67VK on 2008-01-17
  This movie almost remind me of the TV sitcom Alice: set in a small, out-of-the-way diner run by a cranky head cook with a heart of gold, and staffed by a trio of waitresses, the brash Blondie Southern one, the child-like and naive one, and the level-headed single mom (or mom-to-be, in this case), along with the typical assortment of wacky and colorful customers. Writer/director Adrienne Shelly manages to take this template and make something wonderful from it, however. Far from being a mere remake of Alice, Waitress is a well-conceived and well-executed exploration of one woman's fight to come into her own and realize her dreams, despite the bad choices and wrong decisions she's made along the way that weigh her down.
  
  What truly sets this movie apart from most other big-screen fare is the script. The dialogue, written by Adrienne Shelly - who also directed and co-stars as Dawn, the mousy waitress who eventually finds true love - sparkles with wit, charm and humor. It's fast and it's funny, but it always feels totally natural, due in no small part, of course, to the talents of the actors and actresses charged with delivering it. Unlike the writing in, say, Gilmore Girls, widely praised for it's unique character, the dialogue in Waitress never seems forced or unnatural. It's brilliant without being obtrusive.
  
  My only downsize to this film is the fact that the "men are dogs" message is a little heavy-handed. Without exception, all the male characters in Waitress are presented as either mean, like Earl (Jeremy Sisto), unprincipled, like Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion), or just plain weird, like Ogie(Eddie Jemison's). Even Joe (Andy Griffith), who turns out to be truly kind and caring, is shown throughout most of the film to be abrasive and demanding, to the point that long-suffering Jenna is the only person who can deal with him and is truly his only friend. This is obviously a film made by a woman, primarily for a female audience, but one can't help but think that if a man made a film in which all the female characters were nothing but gold-digging, abusive, sluts, there would be a serious, if well-deserved, backlash.
  
  Waitress is a good movie that is well worth seeing. It's tragic that Shelly, who was brutally murdered in November 2006, won't be making any further films, as this movie will no doubt bring awareness of the writer/director's impressive talents to a much wider audience than ever before. Fortunately, Waitress is a fitting memorial by which to be remembered.
  
  
  
  
• Beautifully written and acted
  By A1HBC0NBQJHT7X on 2008-02-17
  Waitress is a movie that is a lot like real life. It's funny at times, poignant at others, and very sad and bitter as well. While some of it is, perhaps, wrapped up a bit too easily, this is a very sincere and heartfelt movie, one that tells a lovely story that centers around women who are dealing with real-life issues. While I do enjoy some romantic comedies, this movie is leagues above your typical chick flick in that it is a sensitive and realistic portrayal of women dealing with everyday circumstances. They are average women in complicated circumstances and, at times, it is uncomfortable to watch.
  
  The movie centers around Jenna, who is wonderfully played by Keri Russell. There's just so much about the character that rings true, from her apprehension over having a baby to her loveless marriage. It's painful to watch her go through the motions and it's obvious that Jenna is really just a shell of herself for most of the movie. Her husband is a truly loathsome creature who does his best to control every aspect of her life and it is apparent that Jenna has more or less given up. Though she talks of plans to leave him, it's unclear whether she actually intends to ever carry out this plan.
  
  What I most enjoyed about this movie was watching Jenna evolve. It's obvious from quite early on that she is a people pleaser, even if this means that she allows herself to be walked all over. She indulges in a bit of fantasy but is then clear sighted enough to understand that it is not reality. In the end, she comes to realize that it is up to her to take control of her own life. It is nothing short of a treat to watch a movie that treats its female lead character in this manner. Jenna's not on a quest for a man, she's on a quest to regain her self-respect and to find her courage. The ending is particularly satisfying because it is Jenna's own.
  
  The movie's strong theme of female friendship was also well done. Becky, Dawn, and Jenna are all quite different and yet they come together and support one another. At times they fight and say things that cause one another pain, but, in the end, they are truly there for each other.
  
  Perhaps the most touching aspect of this movie, though, was its statement about simple acts of kindness. I liked how Jenna looked past Joe's cantankerous exterior and found something truly worthwhile within. The result is rewarding for both characters and it is a moment of truth between these two characters that tugged the most at my heartstrings. It was this that most impressed me about the movie, that it was truthful in its representation of how some of life's sweetest moments are also some of its saddest.
  
  
• Loved it!
  By A3659YA1RBWCOF on 2008-06-29
  I rented this back in the spring and absolutely fell in love with it. I watched it four times before I had to bring it back, but I'm about to order my own copy. Light, sweet, and funny. Adrienne Shelly did a wonderful job!
  
  
• Better than Warm Apple Pie
  By A1KNHYOTJPK435 on 2007-10-01
  Dear Damn Baby,
  Have you ever had I Hate My Husband Pie? What about Earl Murders Me Because I'm Having An Affair Pie? No? Well, they're both delicious, and they're both featured in Waitress, the brilliantly written, acted, and directed brainchild of the late Adrienne Shelly.
  Let me start by telling you that I never would have watched this movie if I had been able to sleep during my 9 hour international flight. Let me add that I had no interest in seeing Keri Russell in a leading role. Certainly not in a movie that wasn't made-for-tv on Lifetime or some other hormonally-charged channel. EVER. Let me tell you-- I'm thankful for my insomnia, and I'm sorry I ever doubted Ms. Russell because this movie is incredible!
  Aside from some embarassing moments when I caught some strange looks from fellow passengers for laughing out loud (I don't exactly have a cute laugh, unless you're into that hyena-with-a-machine-gun vibe), there is nothing bad I can say about my experience with this movie. Yeah, it'd probably be categorized as a "romantic comedy" or a (gringe-shudder-grimace) "chick flick," but it's so much MORE than that. It tells a story. And it does it WELL.
  For those of you who could care less about the cinematic techniques, for those of you who don't want to disect the movie into its many artistic merits, for those of you who eat potato chips that you find in between your couch cushions, lemme break it down for ya: This movie is FUNNY. Not cutsy-goofy-Tom-Hanks-Meg-Ryan funny. Really, really FUNNY.
  And for the film buffs: The humor was made so much more biting and delicious because it was mingled with sadness, warmth, and reality. Waitress is very well written, and it is evident that the actresses and actors connected to their characters, because this movie is full of vitality that can only be brought to the screen by sincerity. The variety of shots and techniques could have been a hopeless mish-mash in the hands of an amateur, but Shelly ties it all together neat as pie (Yeah, I know. "Very punny." But I couldn't resist one!).
  Waitress stayed under the radar when it was released in theaters, but it deserves a home in your movie collection. This is one that you'll be quoting for a while. And you don't have to vote for Pedro to do it.
  
  
• A Little Too Cutesy-Pie
  By A3M2WW0PO34B94 on 2007-10-26
  Jenna (Keri Russell), a waitress at a small town pie shop in the Deep South, is married to the worst guy in the world, Earl (Jeremy Sisto). To her dismay, she learns she is pregnant, the one time in recent history that she got drunk and had sex with her husband. Her only friends are the other two waitresses at the shop. Becky (Cheryl Hines, TV's "Curb Your Enthusiasm"), a talkative woman married to a paraplegic, older man is the most demonstrative. She loves the guy, but she needs the affection of a man and has affairs. Dawn (the film's writer/ director Adrienne Shelly), is a shy woman who has been on one bad date too many. Together, these women give each other love and support and help each other through their problems. Jenna is also the baker, making the pies the shop sells. She has always had a knack for creating unusual, delicious pies. As she deals with the many problems in her life, she creates new pies, making them before our eyes, naming them after the troubles she has. Jenna is the only one of the three waitresses who will wait on Old Joe (Andy Griffith), the exacting owner of the pie shop. He comes in every day and places a meticulous order that he expects to be filled exactly as requested. He dictates when he wants his water and his orange juice and if something isn't right, he sends it back. After she learns she is pregnant, Jenna goes to her doctor and finds a new doctor; Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion, TV's "Drive" and "Firefly") has taken over the practice. Dr. Pomatter has problems of his own and becomes attracted to Jenna.
  
  Written and directed by Adrienne Shelly, "Waitress" is a nice, pleasant little film. It is, perhaps, a bit too `corn pone' at times, too much so for its own good. But it is a pleasant enough little film to help while away a few hours.
  
  Unfortunately, Shelly, a veteran of many independent films, was murdered a few months before the film premiered at Sundance. And this has become the main talking point of the film. This sad event has little bearing on the film, or it's quality.
  
  "Waitress" aims for a folksy-type of quality with a dash of modern day fairy tale thrown in. Keri Russell is very good and very believable as Jenna. Every moment she is on screen, we get little bits of her pain, her desperation, her escape through baking, her interest in the awkward Dr. Pomatter and more. It also seems completely natural that she would be the one person who can handle Old Joe. Facing many desperate feelings, she would naturally be kind to just about everyone she meets and Old Joe is no exception.
  
  As we watch Jenna bake, Russell shows how she developed through life. She recalls fond memories of baking and singing songs with her mother. She also reverently describes how her mother baked, clearly inheriting the skill. Everyone who tastes one of her pies seems transported by sheer bliss. All of this helps to balance her character and make her more believable.
  
  The first time Earl drives up, we get an instant vision of what he is like as a spouse. Driving up to the three waitresses sitting on the stoop of the pie shop, he honks the car's horn consistently. Here I am. Here I am. Look at me. And this serves to make Jenna more human, more interesting and more complex. She is trapped in her relationship with needy Earl and can't get out. During their conversations, he consistently reminds her that he "put the roof over her head"; he "provides everything for her." They are really co-dependent on each other. It is a sad relationship, but we see why she would believe this and why she would feel trapped.
  
  Jeremy Sisto (HBO's "Six Feet Under", TV's "Kidnapped") plays Earl, Jenna's needy, controlling husband. Constantly in need of assurance, reassurance and encouragement, he doesn't want Jenna to do anything that would take her out of his control for long. She receives phone calls at work from her husband in which he needs to hear how much she loves him. When they are together, he threatens to force her to stay at home and quit her job. When he wants to have sex, they have sex, or he threatens to pull some of her liberties. When they are in bed, he forces her to reassure him, tell him how great he is, to make him feel like a man.
  
  Sisto dos a very good job of making the viewer loathe this `man', but he also reveals the insecurities Earl has. All of these activities are designed to make Earl feel better about him, but they only reveal what a whimpering sop he truly is. Behind every smile, he has a threat ready. As soon as he threatens Jenna, he tries to smile and get back in her good graces, forcing himself into her good graces.
  
  Andy Griffith plays Old Joe, the owner of a number of businesses in the small town. At his age, he can afford to be exacting and if his requests aren't meant, he wants something redone. The role is a nice turn for Griffith, but it often veers dangerously close to the stereotype of the wise old sage. Joe is the type of guy who is always willing to offer a piece of thinly disguised advice in a sage remark. Griffith manages to keep the role from becoming cloying by also being a bit ornery and exacting.
  
  The rest of the cast doesn't fare as well. Cheryl Hines' portrayal of Becky takes it little beyond Flo in the old "Alice" television series. I half expected her to say "Kiss my grits" at least once. She is having an affair with a guy, but won't reveal the details to her two friends, playing coy and flirty. It is a very broad role and the character has few subtle nuances. Adrienne Shelly's Dawn is also a little broad and a bit too `country-fied'. Apparently, she has dating trouble, so she announces she is going on a five-minute blind date. The guy she goes out with likes to make `spontaneous poetry', stringing together a series of nonsensical statements and filling in the blanks with `da da da dadada da'. This is, apparently, endearing to Becky, because they are soon dating hot and heavy.
  
  "Waitress" is not going to surprise many. The story is sweet and good-natured but pretty formulaic. Some of the moments that will happen towards the end of the story are pretty easy to spot and will seem expected.
  
  But the film is saved by the performance of Keri Russell and her musings on the state of her life. As she thinks about a new problem in her life, we see a pie shell in the middle of the screen and a bunch of different ingredients are plopped in as Jenna draws parallels between the ingredients and her life. When she learns she is pregnant, she comes up with the "Bad Baby" pie. Her relationship with Earl warrants the "I Hate My Husband Pie". All of these creations end up on the menu and appear as though they could be delicious. These pies also help illicit a few humorous moments when people ask for them by name moments after Jenna has created them.
  
  At the center of "Waitress" is an interesting, believable and engaging character that is surrounded by an increasingly broad series of supporting characters that really detract from the focus and believability of the film as a whole.
  
  
  
  
• Jaded characters
  By AFFVUZEGP1FDQ on 2007-11-07
  The movie tells the story of Jenna (Keri Russell), a waitress of a dinner, Keri Russell, who is married to a good for nothing man, Earl, who doesn't treat her very well and takes all the money she earns. He is also abusive and controlling. She finds herself pregnant, a fact she is not very happy about. I guess she fears she may not be a good mother and that it is not fair to any kid to have a father like Earl, who made her promise that she would not love a baby more than him. A new gynecologist, Jim, is treating her and they start an affair. One catch, he is married and so is she.
  
  Russell's character makes really good, should-be-in-an-award-show-pies. She uses the pies to express how she feels at the moment and the events that are happening in her life.
  
  Russell's character wants to escape from her marriage and start anew.
  
  There is something about this movie that made me not like it very much: the over-the-top acting, the dialogue and the characters themselves. The movie was unconvincing, the dialogue was unrealistic and the acting wasn't great. The film, and the actors, seemed jaded, emotionally stunted and this caused the plot to not carry out well. Maybe that was the point of the movie, how to draw the emotionally stunted Jenna out of her life and have her start anew.
  
  Basically, the movie reminds me of the literary genre of magical realism in that it uses certain objects, events and people in an exaggerated manner. The pies, which are Jenna's outlet, her way of expressing her emotions in a tangible way, become an integral part of the story. We are told, if it was not obvious before, what Jenna is thinking and feeling. Thus, in a way the pies are an extension of Russell's character.
  
  
  
• Yeah, a Good Slice of Life
  By AL5OEDM8TPTKV on 2007-12-02
  Much has been made of the tragic and untimely death of actress and filmmaker Adrienne Shelley. Unfortunately, the publicity of her demise made me want to avoid this movie when it hit the theaters, fearing the sorrow of her circumstance would cloud this movie for me. Sounds illogical now, but then, it made sense. However, months after leaving the theater, and me popping this DVD into my player, time has shown her last movie "Waitress" to be an unusual movie in so many ways.
  
  Keri Russell, hair and all, stars in this movie about being trapped in life circumstances, and how getting out of that trap isn't so easy. Keri plays the titular Jenna, a woman trapped in a dead end marriage only to find out she's pregnant after a night of alcoholic drudgery with her own husband. Her only talent, and a very marketable one at that, is making pies, which helps her narrate this charming feature. It's Jenna's sometimes off decision making ability that drive this picture. Will she escape her horrid husband to a better life? Will she give up the baby once she has it? Will she go out of her mind?
  
  Russell's Jenna is extremely funny and tragic. You can tell how easy it is for a beautiful girl to make a wrong decision or two, and end up as a waitress in a pie diner in the south. It's happened to her two friends, Becky and Dawn, each who wrestle with their own unusual demons in the story. Shelley's script is wise to never allowing this film to become anything sentimental, which may have allowed the film to sap into a Hallmark special all too easily. Jenna's hatred of her pregnancy is funny and understandable.
  
  Rarely do films surprise me, genuinely, but I was surprised at the end of the movie, which I shall not divulge here. Shelley saved us a couple of things for the ending that both make sense and bring a sense of joy to the movie that is unsurpassed. When Jenna walks away from the diner (no spoilers here!), you are walking with her, reveling that she has finally made some good decisions after all.
  
  It's too bad that Shelley didn't live to see the acclaim this movie earned. It's too bad that this creative filmmaker's voice was silenced by a heinous act. But the movie Waitress is a joyous act, and a fitting tribute to women everywhere who, like Jenna, must find their ways out of their own lives, into the life of possible.
  
  
• An Indie Film with Style and Charm!
  By A31I3HXMD5H1EL on 2007-12-06
  While the tragic death of writer/director/co-star Adrienne Shelly has given "Waitress" a bittersweet quality, the film deserves to be appreciated on it's own merits, as a terrific romantic comedy/drama.
  
  A 'slice-of-life' tale of a waitress at a small-town diner with a gift for pie-making (Keri Russell, in the best performance in her career), the film offers a rich variety of supporting characters, from her quirky-but-lovable fellow waitresses (Cheryl Hines and Adrienne Shelly), her less-than-lovable husband (Jeremy Sisto, who gets her drunk and pregnant), the gynecologist (Nathan Fillion) who falls for her, and, best of all, the cantankerous yet funny owner of the café (81-year-old Andy Griffith, who DESERVES a 'Supporting Actor' Oscar for this role!)
  
  Wickedly funny (Russell's observations on her pregnancy are hilarious, and very true), and unafraid to portray issues like spousal abuse and infidelity, Shelly's script doesn't 'sugarcoat' life in and out of the diner, or ruin the ending by tying up all the romantic 'loose ends' neatly; while the finale is perhaps predictable, it is very satisfying, and will certainly bring a smile!
  
  "Waitress" is a film that will brighten your day, and become a welcome addition to your DVD collection...I highly recommend it!
  
  
• Bittersweet and Delicious
  By A2UW83R0JOZZ6 on 2007-12-06
  
  A conversation-starter at the Sundance Film Festival and a modest success at the box office, "Waitress" is a small tale about a small woman overcoming great odds. Writer and director Adrienne Shelly wrote the screenplay for the film whilst pregnant with her first child Sophie and began filming in November of `05. Principal photography wrapped three days before Christmas, a mere twenty days after it began. With an overall budget of $2 million and Shelly directing and starring in the film while looking after her infant daughter with her husband Andy, she was a force to be reckoned with.
  
  Sadly, Shelly would never see the film to its fruition. Only a year after "Waitress" began filming, she was murdered by a young Ecuadorian immigrant in her Manhattan home, leaving behind Andy, Sophie and a film career that might've been. She was forty years old. "Waitress" is Shelly's swan song, a work that would've opened people's eyes to her talents as a screenwriter and a film director. It is unfortunate that she will only be appreciated now posthumously.
  
  The film begins with Jenna Hunterson (Russell) doing what she does best - making pies. The kitchen is her oasis, a place where her sweet machinations come to life in the form of pies, quiches and tarts. Her saccharine creations distract from the awful monotony of her life as a waitress at Joe's Pie Diner, not to mention an unwanted pregnancy for which her jerk of a husband Earl (Sisto) is responsible. After a pregnancy test comes out positive, she makes an appointment with her family doctor only to discover she has left the practice and been replaced by Dr. Jim Pomatter (Fillion). Unhappily married and unhappily pregnant more so, she begins having an affair with - of all people - her obstetrician. Dr. Pomatter (whom she insists on calling by his professional name, even while she is sleeping with him) is a nervous and bumbling sweetheart who also happens to be married and he and Jenna literally stumble into love. No sooner does she realize she's falling in love, Jenna starts pouring her passions into her pies, much in the same way that Tita did in "Like Water For Chocolate" ("Naughty Pumpkin Pie"). All the while, Jenna grows ever larger and tries to plan her escape from Earl's clutches and take her pie-making to the next level while amusing herself with the romantic hang-ups of her co-workers Dawn (Shelly) and Becky (Hines) and putting up with persnickety Joe (Griffith), the diner's aging proprietor.
  
  There isn't even one bad performance here, no matter how small the part. The standouts, of course, are Russell and the seasoned and celebrated Andy Griffith as Joe. Russell's Jenna is almost a tragic heroine - poor but not broken, she is kind but willful, a seemingly meek woman with an irrepressible spirit. Russell embodies her character physically and emotionally - her Jenna is heartbreakingly lovely inside and out, a petite beauty who is sad but resolute ("...though she be but little, she is fierce") and has an admirably acidic sense of humor to boot. Who else's sense of humor can also be admired is Griffith's curmudgeon Joe, one who cackles as he says that he "loves living vicariously through the pain and suffering of others."
  
  Sisto's Earl is a possessive jerk, a low-scale tyrant who underneath is incredibly insecure and needs constant reassurance of Jenna's commitment to him. Fillion's awkward Dr. Pomatter is completely endearing and the surrounding cast rounds out the wonderfully entertaining ensemble. Dry humor is speckled throughout to keep this somewhat trifling tale from getting too sickly sweet, especially after Jenna's first rendezvous with Dr. Pomatter when Joe (Griffith) points out her smeared lipstick and tells her to "wipe away her indiscretions" before serving him breakfast.
  
  For a small film, it has big potential. If you peruse the shelves of Blockbuster as much as I, don't let this fantastic sleeper get lost among the big-budget bull. Rent it and let it wrap you up like a warm blanket.
  
  "Gonna make a pie with a heart in the middle..."
  
  
  
• Gonna Bake a Pie With a Heart in the Middle
  By A1WUPRPQBV4FB8 on 2007-12-12
  I liked this movie. I really, really liked it. It was sweet--and that's an unintended pun. Sure, the characters are all a bit over the top and there's a lot of clever dialog and touches of questionable reality, but all is forgiven because it's just a cute story of a young woman dealing with some not-so-sweet (or cute) problems, all of which she relates to pie.
  
  Keri Russell is beautiful and plays the title role of a small town diner waitress/pie genius with 100% heart. Her voice-over pie recipe brainstorms ("bad baby pie" and "I hate my husband pie") are truly funny and you CAN understand why anyone would fall in love with her. In fact, nearly everyone in the film is in love with her--her bumbling OB-GYN, her abusive, car-horn-honking husband, the crotchety pie shop owner (played well by Andy Griffith), and her caricature waitress girlfriends. This makes her the perfect tragic heroine. She's whip-smart in an uneducated way and, of course, we get to enjoy her happy ending triumph.
  
  Michele Cozzens, Author of A Line Between Friends and The Things I Wish I'd Said.
  
  
• A Warm Slice of Posthumously Awarding Winning Pie
  By AJDQ5EBQNDGLF on 2007-12-13
  Waitress is not a slice of life, it's a slice of pie and that being said it's a wonderful hunk of escapism. Waitress can be reminiscent of many things: Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, the sitcom Alice, the TV show Felicity or even to me, Napoleon Dynamite. Really though, Waitress stands most wonderfully on its own merits. I in fact hold it in highest regard and find it to be the best movie save No Country For Old Men.
  
  The bittersweet story of a lovely young waitress having the life sucked out of her in a loveless, domineering marriage is beautifully and whimsically realized by the late writer/director/actor Andrienne Shellby. Her direction is perfect. I knew nothing of her going into this movie and upon seeing the end credits was surprised to find she had been the actress playing the part of Dawn, the slightly ditzy waitress. This prompted me to check out the extras, something I rarely do, and there I saw listed A Memorial to Adrienne Shellby. This was a shock. There was nothing in the DVD to tell how she had died and I eventually resorted to Google and Wikipedia to learn about the tragic facts surrounding of her demise.
  
  Not so tragic was that she was able to leave this wonderfully smart, warm and beautifully conceived vision. She originally had written the lead role for herself but handed it over to Keri Russell. Russell is fabulous as Jenna the young woman who is reluctant in all phases of her life except one; making pies, which she infuses with a kind of magic that is all her own and to which she gives equally enchanting names. She sees this gift as her way out of her dead end, oppressive life and yearns to enter an upcoming pie baking contest with a grand prize of 25,000 dollars but then she finds out she's pregnant. She meets this news with a detached practicality and seeks out medical advice from her longtime medical confidant, Dr. Mueller. Jenna is disturbed when in place of the cool-headed, older woman physician she's grown so comfortable with she finds a young, attractive and disquieted male substitute, Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion).
  
  Waitress is full of rich characters and fine performances. The elements can be directly contrasted to other set-ups but I think you actually find those set-ups continuely in real life. I've seen all the stuff some others might want to compare this the movie with but I really didn't and don't think there any need to do that. This is a better experience than that and a better movie I doubt I'll see this year.
  
  I'm dismayed by the snubbing of the various award committees.
  
  Addendum: Now that I've seen Juno, which is a very good and very cute movie, I'm even more dismayed over the Academy Award snub because Waitress is a better movie than Juno on nine out of ten levels.
  
  
• The "I-Think-I've-Seen-This-Before-But-I-Still-Liked-It-a-Lot" Pie
  By A13E0ARAXI6KJW on 2007-12-20
  This agreeably idiosyncratic 2007 dramedy has plenty to offer and includes some great moments of warmth and humor, but its eccentricities sometimes threaten to overwhelm the quiet, slightly fantastical story at the heart of the film. Fortunately, actress Adrienne Shelly shows a supple dexterity in balancing all the off-kilter elements since she wrote and directed the film. Sadly, this would also be her last film as she was murdered shortly before its debut at this year's Sundance Festival. I was previously not familiar with Shelly's work either before or behind the camera, but the uniquely fresh perspective on display here makes her loss as a filmmaking creative force feel all the more tragic.
  
  The plot concerns the travails of Jenna, a waitress at Joe's Pie Diner. Stuck in a loveless marriage to an abusive, childish man named Earl, she finds herself unhappily pregnant with his child and dreams of escaping her dreary life. Since her accumulated tip money is not nearly enough for her to leave, Jenna wants to enter a local pie-making contest with a grand prize of $25,000. At the diner, she shows a unique talent for creating unusual pies, and inspired by the events in her life, she makes and names a new one every day. Her best friends are the two other waitresses at the diner - sassy, breast-imbalanced Becky and vacuous, pasty-skinned Dawn, which makes the set-up feel like Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (or more accurately the sitcom it spawned). There is even a character named old Joe, the bromide-spouting owner of the diner dispensing nuggets of unsolicited advice to Jenna. Further complicating matters is the town's new gynecologist, the befuddled and sensitive Dr. Pomatter, and what happens after he and Jenna meet becomes inevitable.
  
  The story doesn't take many surprising turns, especially when it is clear from the outset that we are following Jenna's bumptious journey toward self-fulfillment. However, what Shelly does extremely well is add her own sense of local color and realistic character development to the potentially cliché-ridden situation. The result is often funny, sometimes poignant and at certain points, intentionally absurd. With her porcelain doll looks and previously passive demeanor, Keri Russell would seem like a shallow choice to play Jenna, but she surprises by giving a fully dimensional and affecting performance. Her best scenes are early on as her quietly desperate situation is being established. The other actors provide solid support. Nathan Fillion provides a nicely disheveled charm to the smitten Pomatter, although his character is developed more as a fantasy figure. More interesting is Jeremy Sisto as Earl, who is at turns, dangerous and pathetically needy. Sisto plays him with such simmering menace that it's hard to believe the actor played Jesus in a 1999 miniseries (featuring Debra Messing as Mary Magdalene!).
  
  Playing the saucy "Flo"-type waitress, Cheryl Hines provides expert comic support as Becky, while Shelly herself plays Dawn with quirky, bespectacled vulnerability. As old Joe, Andy Griffith shows up periodically to comment on what's going on. The film's atmospheric elements are first-rate starting with Matthew Irving's cinematography (the brightly colored finale has a fairytale feeling thanks to his expert camerawork) and a clever soundtrack sweetened by a lullaby written by Andrew Hollander and Shelly. The 2007 DVD comes with a standard set of extras including an informative commentary track by Russell and producer Michael Roiff. The ten-minute making-of featurette, "This is How We Made Waitress Pie", is mainly a series of on-set clips and interviews that look directed toward a press junket. There is a brief memorial tribute of sorts to Shelly, though the treatment feels cursory and elusive given the graphic circumstances of her death. Rounding out the extras are a profile on Russell's approach to the role of Jenna and a more superficial featurette about everyone's favorite pies.
  
  

• Michael Clayton (Widescreen Edition)
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