… her [Adrienne Shelly] final project is a beauty. Keri Russell gives her first fully formed, grown-up performance as Jenna, a diner waitress who’s thinking about leaving her abusive husband when she finds out she’s pregnant. Touches of surrealism, a sweet flirtation, and lots of pie mark Waitress as a confection, but an undercurrent of melancholy and Jenna’s difficult choices keep it from floating away once the credits roll.
There’s a sharp edge that makes this film much more than a female-empowerment comedy. The late writer-direct-actor Shelly astutely examines mother-daughter issues, keeping us laughing before delivering her emotional gut-punch of a finale….Each character is written and performed with a wonderful depth of wit and resonance; these are recognisably real people who are also hysterically funny on screen. Russell gives Jenna a remarkable balance of hopefulness and resolve; this is a woman who has accepted the fact that she is trapped in a miserable life, even as she keeps trying to find a way out….This pretty much defines all of the characters in the film, so when they interact with each other in various ways, the sparks are vivid and thoroughly engaging. The chemistry between the actors is fantastic, most notably for Russell and Fillion, who come together with an amusing awkwardness that’s actually very sweet. And there’s a terrific sense of camaraderie between the strong-willed Russell, the feisty Hines (with echoes of Alice’s Flo) and the loveably nerdy Shelly….the film is packed with provocative, challenging twists and turns that give the humour a solid foundation.
I think what surprised me most was that the naïve and fun-loving filmmaking style was balanced by a mature, even brokenhearted storyline….Keri Russell, in a revelatory performance, plays Jenna, the lead waitress at a semi-rural Southern pie shop….Yes, the pie names are cutesy, but the emotions running under them are not…
…Shelly has crafted a story of growing self-awareness and hope. Without this dark background, the movie would have been saccharine enough to send you into diabetic shock. Without the levity and some of the indie film quirkiness, it would have been too depressing to be deemed “entertainment.†As it stands, Waitress strikes a wonderful balance of bitter and sweet, of darkness and light. It earns its tears by the end, even without the knowledge of the unsavory murder of the director, Ms. Shelly, late last year.
In “Waitress†(May 2) Nathan Fillion plays the funny-Valentine love object of Keri Russell’s pie-baking genius, and does it so deftly you wonder why more directors of romantic comedy haven’t snapped him up. The last film by Adrienne Shelly, who was murdered in her Greenwich Village office last November, “Waitress†spices its humor with some decidedly tangy elements. For one thing the romance between Ms. Russell and Mr. Fillion is highly inappropriate, yet he carries it off with a light touch, quirky enough to feel just right.
A married ob-gyn who sleeps with an unhappy patient? Yikes. What’s funny about that? Mr. Fillion is, not least because he’s so good at looking blindsided by Jenna’s beauty and charm. When she suddenly leaps into his arms, he catches her with the stunned look of a man who can’t believe his luck. But that’s all he does.
No face-pulling or exaggerated double takes. Mr. Fillion is funny precisely because he’s a minimalist. His double takes are so tiny they’re a joke in themselves. His quiet just-folks presence on screen is a magnet; you watch to see what he’s up to.
Among the things Mr. Fillion lets us see before the movie ends is the subtle fault line — selfishness — in this sweet and caring man. It’s not a lot of selfishness, just a little. Kind of like sneaking a second piece of pie. – Karen Durbin
Fabulous feel good movie! Good for Jenna that she decides it is okay to stand on your own - what with a little help from her friends. Can’t get that song out of my mind - been singing it since. Wish I had the soundtrack. – Kathy
What a touching and funny movie. I loved the message, too. – Marco
(contains a spoiler for the movie 300)
I like movies with explosions, fighting of any kind, and car chases. I’m an action movie gal. Yet I loved this movie despite that fact that it has none of the above prerequisites I usually have to see a film. I took my mother for the special Mother’s Day screenings at the local mall. The first two words that come to mind if I were forced to choose only two are sweet and sincere. But there is real strength in this film as well. As an action loving gal, I saw 300 earlier this year. In that movie, there is a moment that involves the Queen of Sparta exacting revenge on a traitor. It was on of the best moments in the film. She skewers him with a sword and leaves him bleeding without a backward glance. Strength right? Well, in Waitress, there is a moment were Jenna demonstrates a strength that rivals that tenfold. And she didn’t have to poke anyone with a sword to do it. When you see the movie, and I hope you will, you will recognize the moment I mean immediately. – Hallie
Absolutely the best movie of the year so far. Despite the tragic outcome for the filmaker, she will has an ever living testiment to her talent. The cast was outstanding - even my husband, who said it was a "chick flick" came out crying and loving it! – Jackie
I absolutely loved this movie. It felt very real. It resonated with me for days after I saw it. Jenna is so easy to relate to, for every girl, I think. Heartwarming and thoughtful. – Julia
Keri Russell was fantastic. An endearing story with really funny lines and situations mixed in with real-life types of crises. Went out for pie afterwards….had to! – Deb
Loved Keri Russell; LOVED Nathan Fillion; loved Andy Griffith; loved Adrienne Shelly and Cheryl Hines; loved how sisto made me hate Earl. Loved this quirky little movie. I want to see more of Keri Russell on the big screen…she’s so capable and under-exposed. I hope this is her leap to bigger things. – Karen
I absolutely loved every slice of this inspiring movie as I knew I would. Kerri Russell was just so moving in this part. And, what a joy to see Andy Griffith in a part that was so perfect for him. I never see movies twice, but I plan on seeing this one again. — Linda
A sad but wonderful movie full of humor. — Kelly
Funny, Entertaining, One I will watch over and over again. I was so thirsty the whole movie but refused to miss a minute of it to go get a drink. — Courtney
I loved the movie! I saw it with 2 girlfriends and we were dying for a slice of pie afterward. Much to our dismay, it is very hard to find a slice of pie in a restaurant. We settled for berry cobbler at the Steack ‘n Shake. We were wondering if you could publish the pie recipes on your website. Especially the Marshmallow Mermaid Pie and the Chocolate Berry Pie. Yum! — Michelle
This looks like a great movie… wish it was playing in my town!!! — Katie
Superb! What a delightful movie that stays in your thoughts for days and days. Thank you for such creating a movie that is different than any other movie out there! — Andri
What a wonderful movie. My husband and I saw it today and we loved it. — Libby
Such a joyful movie that was heartfelt at its center. Keri Russell was wonderful as Jenna, the pie-making queen extraordinaire. The perfect complement were the other Waitresses (Adrienne Shelly and Cheryl Hines)! “Earlie” (Jeremy Sisto) played a good terrible husband! I loved the concept and how it played out. The story evolved around these amazing pie creations that were whipped up in Jenna’s head that she would spontaneously name. Way to go to everyone involved in the picture. So glad Any Griffith was the crotchety old gentlemen. It meant a lot to see him as well. God Bless Adrienne Shelly.
A straightforward rom-com premise executed effortlessly by all involved.
Since I never really watched much Felicity, I had no opinion one way or another on Russell’s acting chops, but she shines here, pulling off good-natured hopelessness with aplomb. Nathan Fillion shows another side of the dopey smartass he honed on Firefly with a lot more aw-shucks thrown in. He’s evolving into a formidable comic talent.
Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Shelly portray Russell’s fellow waitstaff, playing off each other with crackerjack timing. Hines in particular gives a performance that skirts Best Supporting Actress territory. Jeremy Sisto, Eddie Jemison, Andy Griffith, and Lew Temple all give top notch support.
Shelly’s characters, both men and women, all have depth and personality to them. They all seem to be people she must have known, and who shaped her at some point in her life.
The story of Jenna moves along at a quick pace…….
This film is, among many other good things, complete. The humor is genuine, the characters are real people, and the story, though predictable toward the end, is fun and has lots of fresh twists along the way. It does what a good film should do…takes you away from your seat and into a different world. It makes you root for the good guys and hope the bad guys get better, or if they don’t, that they get what they deserve. It’s not “like†any other film due to the many, many details that pervade throughout.
The feminist overtones of the screenplay may not embrace the variation on the old saying that behind every good man is a woman, but Russell is given ample support from the great Nathan Fillion…Casting directors who see Waitress and don’t move Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion far up on their lists should be committed to a lifetime of finding game show contestants.
Waitress, no doubt, walks along a path populated by years of sitcoms and cutesy romantic concoctions, but there’s a genuineness that sets apart the sassy friends, wise old codgers and the men-are-dogs-until-the-right-one-comes-along mentality. Shelly doesn’t shy away from the threat of violence which lurks around Earl’s every scene, but also doesn’t turn it into a nasty cautionary tale either. Waitress is more optimistic and gives us characters like Eddie Jemison’s nerdy, impromptu poet and Andy Griffith (yes, Mayberry’s own) as the cantankerous diner owner with a heart to assure us that hope comes in all forms and usually not on the surface. My glass is half-full in thinking that fans of Shelly she acquired through the works of Hal Hartley and other independent cinema wouldn’t be quick with labeling Waitress as a reach for the vox populi. It’s even fuller having seen Waitress so I can honor it with a proper toast for the cast and the filmmaker who made it all possible.
Keri Russell gives a deft and winning performance as Jenna, a Southern gal who works as a server in Joe’s Pie Diner but who nurtures a poet’s heart. She expresses herself through novel pie recipes, an art she learned from her similarly inclined mother, and one she retreats to in Mitty-esque detail as both an escape from and a commentary on her disappointing life….Waitress is a real actor’s movie, with each part written with great elan to have its own psychology and even its own dialect. Each player gets to be fully dimensional and has bright and defining moments that crystallize into an affectionate if gently satirical ensemble portrait of a certain kind of working-class Southern-ness. It’s great fun to see Andy Griffith of all people try on a crusty character part; the mind has to reach back almost to the 1950s and his sinister portrayal of a Huey Long-like demagogue in Elia Kazan’s A Face in the Crowd to remember Griffith diverging so fully from Sheriff Andy Taylor of Mayberry, R.F.D. But every actor, including Shelly herself as Jenna’s geeky waitress pal Dawn, comes off well in this generous bear hug of a film, a sweet movie.
The cast, most obviously, should be given much of the acclaim for what works best in Waitress. Keri Russell has quite simply never been better than she is here; she and Nathan Fillion strike an effortlessly charming chemistry together. And to those who know Fillion only from Firefly / Serenity, well, be prepared to be impressed. This guy’s got leading man’s chops all the way, especially in the comedy department …
So the thing’s perfectly adorably sweet, right? Yep, but Shelly is a better filmmaker than that; Waitress also packs a strong but subtle sense of sarcasm, an off-kilter satirical edge that adds an extra (and rather welcome) dimension to the flick. Like a small splash of cinnamon on a hot apple pie.
Bottom line is I loved this movie. Loved every last character, twist, kiss, joke and pie found within it. I will force other people to see it, beam contentedly when they tell me they loved it, and then buy the DVD and make my friends watch it. Rest in peace, Ms. Shelly, and thank you for this seriously sweet little confection.
If “Waitress” was one of Jenna’s pies, it would be a sky-high lemon meringue — light, airy, not too sweet, with a tart, satisfying filling.
Shelly, who probably was best known as an actress for her performances in some of Hal Hartley’s early films, has a real affection for her characters and their foibles, and judging from the work of her ensemble cast, it clearly was infectious.
Russell really shines here, displaying an affinity for the type of quirky comedy she has seldom had the opportunity to play onscreen.
While Hines, Shelly, Pomatter and Sisto also are fine, it’s a particular hoot to see Andy Griffith coaxed back into pictures as Old Joe, the crusty but tender diner owner who urges Jenna to start fresh.
Waitress, no doubt, walks along a path populated by years of sitcoms and cutesy romantic concoctions, but there’s a genuineness that sets apart the sassy friends, wise old codgers and the men-are-dogs-until-the-right-one-comes-along mentality. Shelly doesn’t shy away from the threat of violence which lurks around Earl’s every scene, but also doesn’t turn it into a nasty cautionary tale either. Waitress is more optimistic and gives us characters like Eddie Jemison’s nerdy, impromptu poet and Andy Griffith (yes, Mayberry’s own) as the cantankerous diner owner with a heart to assure us that hope comes in all forms and usually not on the surface.
Waitress offers something more uplifting: a spangly reinvention of the chick flick — and, just maybe, the birth of a movie star. That would be Keri Russell, who’s as tartly irresistible as the desserts she creates playing a Southern pie-shop waitress who gets pregnant by her awful husband and then has an affair with her obstetrician (the delightfully befuddled Nathan Fillion). This vibrant comedy of sisterhood embraces the happy craziness of following your instincts at any cost. Early on, there was a hush over the screening, as tribute was paid to the film’s writer and director, Adrienne Shelly, who was killed in New York last November. Yet by the end, the tasty bittersweetness of Waitress was only enhanced by the revelation of what a talent she possessed.
Fillion and Russell have a great rapport as Jenna’s unusual bluntness intermingles with Dr. Pomatter’s neurotic conversational stumbles. They provide a large portion of the film’s charm.
The restaurant is filled with the usual collection of eccentric characters, including Andy Griffith as its grumpy, picky and wise owner, whom only Jenna can stand to serve. Cheryl Hines and Shelly—who was murdered during the film’s completion—play the fellow waitresses, both of whom have their own troubles in love, but make clear that they wouldn’t want to trade places with Jenna, even if they could make those delicious pies. It would all be a bit too much, if the film wasn’t so much fun.
Cheryl Hines and Shelly herself co-star as Jenna’s friends and co-workers and they’re all quirky and good. However, the bright shining bit of casting in the movie lies with the owner of the diner, Old Joe. Andy Griffith. I can’t put into words how great it was seeing him in this movie. He’s a full blown supporting character, not just a day-player. And damn is he funny and sharp. He’s a bit crotchety and has an edge to him, which I didn’t expect when I saw his name pop up in the opening credits.
The flick is entertaining, tragic, but hopeful. It really swings from lightheartedness to some really dark material. It’s a good final movie and it’s a shame we, as movie-goers, won’t get to see more.
Although the movie is mainly about Jenna’s horror about having this baby, it’s just as much about this lifestyle shared by so many women that end up working at these small restaurants, as much to get away from their troubles at home than to earn a living. In that sense, Waitress opens with some wonderful chattering banter between Jenna and her cohorts Becky (Cheryl Hines of “Curb Your Enthusiasm) and the bookish Dawn…
Sure, Waitress is very much the type of female-centric film that panders to women who think that men are just there to cause them trouble, whether it be Jenna’s abusive husband played by Jeremy Sisto, the crusty pie shop owner Old Joe (a surprisingly endearing performance by Andy Griffith), or even the cranky cook Cal, played by Lew Temple. To counterbalance them, Shelly’s film has its “prince charming” in the form of a nicely-cleaned-up Nathan Fillion as Jenna’s good-looking gynecologist…
Ultimately, Waitress is cute, sweet and witty, and even when it gets a bit bogged down, it always finds a way to bounce back. It certainly will leave you wanting more and saddened that this was Shelly’s last. Still, Fox Searchlight has another potential winner with this charming and highly accessible film that many women will love.
It’s bittersweet for the cast and crew of ‘Waitress’ even to be here, and that makes for a heartwarming story even if that’s the only thing the film has going for it. But to add the whipped cream on top of the cherry pie, the movie’s good. I mean really good…..Funny, tender, quirky and sad, this is a film blessed with a knockout cast that includes, in addition to Russell, Fillion and Sisto, Shelly herself and Cheryl Hines as Jenna’s co-workers, plus the incomparable Andy Griffith as the eponymous Joe. ‘Waitress,’ with its homespun charms and Southern small-town setting, could have easily gotten overly cute and folksy, and at times it does start to veer in that direction; but Shelly knew the value of subtlety, and therefore the story never gets too corny, and the characters are always believable.
In a competition slate stocked with fine but unremarkable romantic comedies…in the time-worn Sundance fashion, Adrienne Shelly’s Waitress stood out for its sunny good humor and perfectly pitched comic performances. Positing an adulterous romance between Keri Russell’s glum pie waitress and Nathan Fillion’s tongue-tied obstetrician, the relentlessly winsome feature came with a bitter undercurrent…. – Sam Adams, Philidelphia
Small town women with dead end lives are given a sweetly comic treatment in “Waitress,” starring Keri Russell as a pie-shop server stuck in a miserable marriage who discovers (to her horror) that she’s pregnant….”Waitress” utilizes a visual wit to great effect, and benefits from two very surprising, scene-stealing supporting roles to look for: Andy Griffith as Old Joe, the crotchety pie-shop owner, and Eddie Jemison as a love struck, bad poetry-spouting bumpkin