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Much like the films of Hal Hartley,Waitressis funny in a deadpan sort of way, but a sadness lurks below the surface. After making a splash in Hartley'sThe Unbelievable TruthandTrust, Adrienne Shelly turned to directing withSudden ManhattanandI'll Take You There. Set in a small Southern town, her third picture revolves around waitress Jenna (Felicity's radiant Keri Russell), who works at Joe's Pie Diner (Joe is played by Andy Griffith). Jenna is the pastry genius who makes Joe's joint shine. Her co-workers include the forthright Becky (Cheryl Hines,Curb Your Enthusiasm) and insecure Dawn (Shelly). All three have man trouble, but Jenna has it the worst. Her husband, Earl (Jeremy Sisto,Six Feet Under), treats her like a piece of property. When she finds out she's pregnant, Jenna fears she'll be stuck with him forever. Then, she develops a crush on her married obstetrician, Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion,Serenity). With the aid of her fanciful confections, like peachy keen tarts, their flirtation develops into a full-blown affair. It appears to be a no-win situation, but Shelly finds an empowering way to bring this bittersweet story to a close. If the candy-colored conclusion plays more like fantasy than reality, it's a fantasy worth embracing. Sadly, Shelly was murdered beforeWaitressever saw the light of day (leaving behind a husband and child of her own). Fortunately, her final film is far more life-affirming than morose, although it does end with the word "goodbye." --Kathleen C. Fennessy

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Details

Cast: Edward Jemison, Jeremy Sisto, Cheryl Hines, Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Adrienne Shelly, Lew Temple, Andy Griffith, Darby Stanchfield, Sarah Hunley, Nora Paradiso
Director: Adrienne Shelly
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Release Date: May 2, 2007
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Screen Writer: Adrienne Shelly
DVD Release Date: November 27, 2007
Runtime: 1hr 47min

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13 Ratings: +3.0

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review by Husher315. May 21, 2009

I do Enjoy a Good Piece of Pie...Just not that Much.

To start things off, Waitress is billed as a comedy. While this film does have some really funny moments, it is definitely a drama. Waitress has quite a slow beginning and doesn't really pick up until the last half hour of the film. Keri Russell gives a decent performance in the film, but the show stealer in this movie is Nathan Fillion as Jennas (Russell) OB-GYN. Fillion might just be one of the funniest actors along with Ryan Reynolds out there today. Keri … more

Comments (2) Compliments (8)

review by MichaelN. May 11, 2009

Much Better Than Expected!

I didn't expect much from this film from the start as it was a little bit campy at first but it got better as it went along. The waitress is actually a woman that works at a pie diner who designs the pie of the day which is based on her feelings. In some ways this part reminded me of "Like Water For Chocolate" where the food takes over people's emotions. The waitress has a very unhappy life, married to an insensitive bore, who sometimes hits her. She gets pregnant only because … more

Comments (5) Compliments (6)

review by GlassIsland. February 21, 2008

posted in Screen Gems

Like a fresh slice of Fallin' in Love pie

What can you say about a movie that's funny, charming, heartbreaking, heartwarming, honest, smart, and full of more good pie recipes than your average cookbook? It's simply wonderful. 'Waitress' defies easy description or categorization, because its not just a romantic comedy, not just a drama, not just an 'indie' film, but it has elements of all of these things and uses them in excellent balance. Where most romantic movies opt for the cheese factor … more

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review by Jerry_Saperstein. May 11, 2008

posted in Movie Hype

Sweet as pie

Everything is sweet about this movie. Jenna (Kerri Russell) lives in a small Southern town with her boorish husband Earl (Jeremy Sisto). She make great pies and works as a waitress in Joe's Pies shop. Her two waitress colleagues have their own problems with men. Jenna learns that she is pregnant and fears that a baby will keep her tied to her husband. The new OB/GYN in town, however, finds Jenna herself a sweet treat as well her pies and tarts. … more

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review by MzJen_2_review. January 17, 2008

Great.....now I'm hungry!

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 … more

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review by MichaelN. January 07, 2008

posted in Movie Hype

Better than Expected!

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review by KellyKlepfer. December 01, 2007

Not Marshmallow Mermaid Pie, More Like Quiche

This movie was not quite what I expected. I expected a feel-good romp of a movie. Not so much, here. Yes, there are charming and funny Dr. Seussian - type moments. But they just add flavor to the complex characters that populate the film. I appreciated the positive spin on the value of the life of a baby even though it's unwanted. It is referred to as a baby the entire movie. A few characters, all married, dabble in affairs. As disappointed as that … more

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review by gradyharp. November 28, 2007

'Tis a gift to be simple...

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 … more

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review by C_Merced. November 07, 2007

Jaded characters

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, … more

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