Waitress

Review by Loc

There’s a sad story to go along with this film. Writer, director, and actor Adrienne Shelly passed away before she could see her film make it to the big screen. In fact, she was murdered, and made to look like she committed suicide when she was discovered. And the worst of it all, it stemmed not from a gross personal battle or an unforgiving act of randomness, she got into an argument with a construction worker who was making too much noise downstairs, and things spiraled out of control.

But, rather than focus on the tragedy that befell her, let us focus on the film that has won her so much critical acclaim. Let us treat her work as exactly that, and reflect on her cinematic accomplishment, to honor her memory as a filmmaker. With that somber note, let’s move on! Quick hit: Waitress is a simple, quiet movie, a good yarn for all to enjoy.

In today’s hustle and bustle, iPhones and plasma screen TVs, it’s easy to forget that not everyone moves at a hundred miles a minute. For a huge portion of the population, both in this country and more so around the world, the need to survive outweighs the need to amass. What some consider a “simple life” is just “life” for most people. But make no mistake about it, simple or not, life usually throws you complicated problems that don’t necessarily have simple answers.

Take our main character, Jenna, a young newly-wed living as well as she can in the South. She’s married to an overbearing, abusive, control-freak of a husband. She works as a waitress in the local diner, where she’s able to bake the most fantastic pies without much recognition for her culinary genius. And when she finds out she’s pregnant, the unexpected baby thwarts her plans of escaping her miserable living conditions. And remember, this is the simple life.

What plays out over the next two hours is an examination in life, in how a young woman may or may not rise above the conditions placed upon her, and how those conditions are a result of both personal choices and unrelenting circumstances. In today’s tabloid world, the thought of being stuck in a marriage because you can’t afford to leave is unthinkable. After all, how many celebrity couples make a game out of the institution of marriage? It’s almost unfathomable to think someone is unable to leave an abusive relationship because of financial limitations.

Ah, but there are subtle nuances that muck up the proceedings as well, taking the simple out of the simplicity. For one, Jenna’s husband, as emotionally stunted and uneducated as you may see, is a guy who Jenna can’t hate so easily. He’s an ass, but his gentle neediness almost masks his glaring abusive traits. However, it’s enough to drive wifey to seek the comfort in her own doctor’s arms.

And thus begins the affair of complete disaster. The writing does a great job of presenting the relationship in muted morality and genuine wholesome attitudes that it slightly blurs the lines of right and wrong. Or to put it another way, if you were Jenna, you might do the same thing.

The rest of the movie examines what happens with Jenna, the unwanted pregnancy, the extramarital affair, and the abusive relationship. Needless to say, it’s not always a happy story, but the writing is light and jokes pop in enough to keep you upbeat instead of depressed.

Keri Russell, most famous as Felicity, delivers a surprisingly remarkable performance. She’s not so subtle that she’s contending for an Oscar, but she definitely embodies the low-esteem Jenna very well. She offers solid comedic timing and some dramatic chops that help move the flick along. In the end, she’s positioned as the anchor of the film, and anchoring she does.

The rest of the cast is very solid as well. Andy Griffith checks in as the curmudgeonly Old Joe, the cranky old guy with a heart of gold. He also throws in some creaky, witty banter and is close to stealing most of the scenes he’s in. Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly, all of them inhabit their roles well. And Jeremy Sisto as the abusive husband is very good at being unlikable.

However, the writing and story are a bit flat and predictable. There are no twists or turns, even when that’s the intended effect. Rather, the story plays out much like a movie, which seems to be the opposite reaction this flick might have been looking for. Yet, predictability isn’t always horrible, and in this case, having the story unfold as you expect is quite alright.

Overall, Waitress is a nice, quiet film. In the summer sea of explosions and IQ-reducing stories, this film is a pleasant departure. It’s a bit deeper than most of the stuff you’ll be seeing, and in its own way, it helps cleanse your pallet for more Hollywood hijinks. Plus, all the pies that Jenna makes sound extraordinarily good, so you’ll be itching for some fine dessert after this movie. Out of the 5 daily pies, Waitress serves up 3.5 slices. It’s a good film.