Waitress is director Adrienne Shelly's sweet, sassy comedy about the power of friendship, motherhood and second chances, starring the radiant Keri Russell. Jenna (Russell) is a waitress working at a pie shop in the Deep South who is unhappily married to an abusive husband (Jeremy Sisto)... and pregnant with his baby. It leads her to the town's charming new doctor (Nathan Fillion), who she falls into a relationship with in a last attempt at happiness.
Directed by
Adrienne Shelly
Written by
Adrienne Shelly
Starring
Keri Russell (Jenna); Nathan Fillion (Dr. Pomatter); Cheryl Hines (Becky); Jeremy Sisto (Earl); Andy Griffith (Old Joe); Adrienne Shelly (Dawn); Eddie Jemison (Ogie); Lew Temple (Cal); Darby Stanchfield (Francine Pomatter); Heidi Sulzman (Exhausted Mother); Lauri Johnson (Nurse Norma); Sarah Hunley (Dr. Lily Mueller); Cindy Drummond (Hospital Nurse); Nathan Dean (Minister); Caroline Fogarty (Doctor's Assistant). Please follow the IMDB link for full cast details.
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Extra-marital affairs you just say goodbye to.
Mark Banks (United Kingdom)
Opinion: Limited Recommendation
*Plot revelations ahead* I found Waitress troubling in several respects. First of all the scene in which an eight-months pregnant and married Jenna being seduced by her married gynaecologist is lingered on in a way that plays it off for a genuinely romantic moment. I found this a little sick. Second, said gynaecologist Dr Pomatter, is portrayed as someone quite likeable who just happened to get into an affair with a pregnant married woman. I understand these things happen, but to pass the characters off as being fine and admirable in every other way just doesn’t ring true with me. Juno went for a similar angle but was a lot more decisive in its overall negative verdict of the irresponsible and dishonest character Mark. Third, Jenna’s comment to Dr. Pomatter at the end of the film that “we could just end it right here, you know, no body count, just say goodbye” for me summed up the casual approach the film took to having an affair; inferring it is just something you can walk away with little if any real emotional cost, whereas the truth is that such behaviour is highly damaging. And fourth, the finale in which Jenna escapes off into the sunset with child had something of the angry feminist touch to it; inferring that you can only trust yourself and your own flesh and blood, which I thought I was shame. So well done to Jenna for having the baby in difficult circumstances, but please don’t make things difficult for others that are struggling with similar problems and temptations.
