Waitress

I am officially a huge Keri Russell fan. Having never watched a minute of Felicity, some may feel this is an unreasonable claim to make. I don't care.

I saw Waitress Saturday night with a group of friends. It was one of the most satisfying movie experiences I've had in a very long time. I don't say that to inflate your expectations, as you should also know that I liked it more than the three others I was with, each of whom had a different opinion of it. I say it simply because it was nice to see the following recipe: superior acting performances by an only slightly recognizable overall cast, a well written and funny female lead, a well written and original script, strong use of place and an endearing dash of honesty.

First of all, there is nothing better to me in film that a master female comic performance. Because of the limitations of film, actresses are rarely given the opportunity to tackle a well-written comic role (yes, I was almost a Women's Studies double major). It has gotten a lot better over the years, this I understand, but it's still more rare than starring comic roles for men. I would even argue you are more apt to see a female action hero than a true female leading comic role. Of course, this does not lend the condition that it be a well developed female action hero, as there have only been two, in my opinion (Uma Thurman in Kill Bill and Carrie Ann Moss in The Matrix). This is all to say that Keri Russell knocked it out of the park with this one, leaving any self-consciousness at the door to play Jenna - a waitress with whom none of us would want to switch places. She's the dominated in a very bad marriage, pregnant with an unwanted baby and working for an ungrateful boss. Still, she's unapologetic for these realities and gets by with her kindness, wit and unparalleled pie making skills.

Many of the characters are, in fact, caricatures, certainly, but unraveling the personas behind Russell and Andy Griffith's characters make up for any residual annoyance with that very necessary matter. Further, the writing is quick and sharp, silly and oblivious all at once.

I also had a moment with this movie that made me fall in love with language. I guess this is why I was an English major. But there are moments in which I see how a person chose to phrase something, and it leaves me breathless. It is rarely a profound revelation, simply a delicate choreography of word choice. The moment was one in which Jenna is writing one of many letters to her unborn child:

"I hope someday somebody wants to hold you for 20 minutes straight... All they do is wrap you up in their arms without an ounce of selfishness to it."

So check it out when you can, and send me your make believe pie recipes. Here's my first:

I Wish It Was Friday Again Pie
Tiramisu Base
Whipped Cream - lots of it
Coffee Ice Cream