"Waitress" (2007) was written and directed by Adrienne Shelly, who also co-starred in the film. (Tragically, Ms. Shelly was killed on November 1, 2006, before the movie was released.)
"Waitress," although billed as a romantic comedy, has serious undertones. Keri Russell plays Jenna, a waitress in a diner. The diner specializes in pies that Jenna makes. Jenna is an imaginative and extraordinary baker, and baking is her primary source of enjoyment.
If this were a classic fairy tale, Jenna would be the princess and Earl (played brilliantly by Jeremy Sisto) would be the evil ogre. The problem is that the evil ogre also happens to be Jenna's controlling and abusive husband.
The staff in the diner serve as Jenna's loyal friends, although all of them have their own problems. Andy Griffith plays the grouchy customer Joe, who in the fairy tale would be the fairy godmother or, in this case, the fairy godfather.
Fortunately, there's a Prince Charming. Unfortunately, he's the wrong Prince Charming. Physicians in the audience will squirm in their seats when Jenna falls in love with her ob-gyn. (Maybe non-physicians will squirm as well, although people love the movie, so I guess they didn't squirm too much.)
My suggestion is to see the film, but accept it for what it is--a fairy tale. It's set in a never-never land where nurses still wear caps and starched white uniforms, and if your heart is pure (and you look like Keri Russell) everything will work out in the end.
"Waitress," although billed as a romantic comedy, has serious undertones. Keri Russell plays Jenna, a waitress in a diner. The diner specializes in pies that Jenna makes. Jenna is an imaginative and extraordinary baker, and baking is her primary source of enjoyment.
If this were a classic fairy tale, Jenna would be the princess and Earl (played brilliantly by Jeremy Sisto) would be the evil ogre. The problem is that the evil ogre also happens to be Jenna's controlling and abusive husband.
The staff in the diner serve as Jenna's loyal friends, although all of them have their own problems. Andy Griffith plays the grouchy customer Joe, who in the fairy tale would be the fairy godmother or, in this case, the fairy godfather.
Fortunately, there's a Prince Charming. Unfortunately, he's the wrong Prince Charming. Physicians in the audience will squirm in their seats when Jenna falls in love with her ob-gyn. (Maybe non-physicians will squirm as well, although people love the movie, so I guess they didn't squirm too much.)
My suggestion is to see the film, but accept it for what it is--a fairy tale. It's set in a never-never land where nurses still wear caps and starched white uniforms, and if your heart is pure (and you look like Keri Russell) everything will work out in the end.