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Adrienne Shelly's WaitressKeri Russell and Nathan Fillion, Jeremy Sisto
Waitress is an unusual film, taking a freshly honest look at a woman enduring an unexpected and unwanted pregnancy.
Waitress is a 2007 film directed by the late Adrienne Shelly. The film was, unfortunately, overshadowed by her untimely death--Shelly was murdered shortly after the film's completion. Regardless, the film itself is noteworthy out of the year's releases. It has an unusual perspective and an upbeat ending. It treads a fine line of becoming almost too heavy and sad, wrapped up in the main character's seeming lack of choices, but bounces back with a positive spin. The Set-UpKeri Russell stars as Jenna, a woman who specializes in making all kinds of delicious pies and then naming them very distinctive, unusual names (I Hate My Husband Pie, Pregnant Miserable Self Pitying Loser Pie...these are her personal examples but the names that make the menu also tend to be unusual and humorous). And sadly, she is trapped in an emotionally (and sometimes physically) abusive relationship with her husband Earl (Jeremy Sisto, doing his usual but dependable psychotic). While she has been plotting her escape, she has become pregnant, much to her chagrin. She accepts her fate and plans to keep the baby, though her resentment is hardly subtle. However, it doesn't play maliciously or bitterly, on the contrary, the stark honesty is endearing. StrayingJenna goes to her doctor to verify her pregnancy only to discover a new doctor in town has replaced her old gynecologist: the nervous and handsome Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion). Both parties are married, but both start an initially awkward but ultimately very passionate affair. The film plods along with a decent pace of ups and downs: the abusive husband discovers the wads of cash Jenna's been stashing around the house, she has moments of sweet self discovery as she bakes pies with her lover...the elements escalate as her marriage and affair do the same. The film ebbs and flows right up until her water breaks and the film returns to the foundation it always seemed determined to stand by. A fresh start. An Interesting TakeJenna's dilemmas nearly bog down the film with self-pity, so convincing is this depressing performance. There are many genuine moments in the film, however, and its satisfying message near the end help see it through successfully. The characters in the film make this a very charming take on a new perspective: the unwilling mother. This is, overall, a very genuine and touching look at an unwanted pregnancy that turns out to be everything Jenna was hoping for in life--without being the slightest bit preachy or saccharine.
The copyright of the article Adrienne Shelly's Waitress in Film Dramas is owned by Margaret Burke. Permission to republish Adrienne Shelly's Waitress in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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