Waitress
WAITRESS: SWEET AS CHERRY PIE
Waitress was written and directed by indie film actress Adrienne Shelley before her untimely death this past November. Keri Russell plays the title character who loves to make pies. It is a humble and warm story that will bring a tear to your eye. Not to mention the mouth watering pies that convey all the emotions of the film.
Jenna (Keri Russell) is stuck in a loveless marriage to needy and abusive husband Earl (Jeremy Sisto). Jenna waitresses and bakes pie at the local diner, Joe’s Pie Diner. Her fellow waitresses Becky (Cheryl Hines) and Dawn (Adrienne Shelley) are her support system. When Jenna finds out she is pregnant, she does the sensible thing and goes to the doctor. But the doctor she has grown up with has been replaced by Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion). They have a connection that sparks an affair.
The story doesn’t try to be anything but about a girl who has lost hope. Jenna’s frustrations come in her pie creations like her mom used to do. Some are salty, some are sweet. And Jenna doesn’t change when she becomes pregnant. She is matter of fact about not feeling a connection to the baby growing inside of her. Keri Russell became famous for playing the girl that you want to be your best friend. This character is no exception. She has a childlike quality to her except she doesn’t have any big dreams. The supporting cast brings an element of quirkiness. Hines and Shelley’s waitresses are Jenna’s true family. They have problems of their own but make do with their situations. Sisto as Earl is pathetic and cruel at the same time. His horn honking when he picks up Jenna is enough to make you scream. His character is unpredictable. You don’t know if he is going to hug or hit Jenna at any given moment. Fillion as Dr. Pomatter goes throughout the film looking like a lost puppy. But the true treat is Andy Griffith as the owner of the diner. He wants everybody to think he is a grumpy old man but Jenna sees right through him. There is a small town background to match the small town desires. The run down pie shop, the quaint doctor’s office, and the unpaved roads all support this small story. And colors change as Jenna’s life does.
When Jenna finds happiness with the Dr., she smiles from ear to ear for about five minutes straight. This scene takes you out of the film with its cheesiness. And the ending is wrapped up almost too neatly.
Waitress is a small film that takes you away from all the summer blockbusters. It is a simple story about one girl and her desire to have a better life. Adrienne Shelley’s shows us as a director that she knew a good story and a talented cast are what makes a film great.
Report Card:
Story-B
Acting-B+
Visuals-B+
Originality/Innovation-B+
Enjoyability Grade–B+
Overall Grade-B+
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