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Herald rating: * * * *
Director Adrienne Shelly made a name for herself in the late 1980s and early 90s as a star of independent cinema, appearing in films such as Hal Hartley's The Unbelievable Truth and Trust. Waitress, her third film as writer/director, is also tragically her last, as she was murdered last year in the New York apartment she used as an office.
Shelly described Waitress as a "love letter to Sophie", her daughter. A whimsical romantic dramedy, it is the story of Jenna (Russell), a poor southern belle trapped in a miserable marriage to a jealous jerk of a husband, Earl (Sisto), and who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant.
Jenna works at Joe's Pie Diner with her two best friends, Dawn (Shelly) and Becky (Hines). While her friends may comment on how nice her husband's hair is, they also admit that no matter how disappointing their own lives might be, they wouldn't swap them for hers. The pies Jenna makes each day, however, are mouthwatering, and named after whatever is going on in her troublesome life, such as "I-Don't-Want-Earl's-Baby Pie" and "I-Hate-My-Husband Pie".
Jenna dreams of escaping from her husband but her pregnancy means all hope seems lost - that is until she meets her gynaecologist, the handsome, kind and attentive Dr Pomatter (Fillion).
Shelly has infused a slice of New York brashness into this southern gal, and Jenna isn't the straightforward character she first appears. She's refreshingly honest about her emotions, especially her dislike of the baby she's carrying and how it will affect her future. But over time she discovers it might just be her saving grace.
Reminiscent of Jennifer Aniston in The Good Girl, Russell steps away from the more glamorous roles, such as Tom Cruise's co-star in Mission Impossible III, to play this seemingly ordinary, small-town character. She does a marvellous job and brings the complex character to life with honesty, spunk, sensitivity and humour, proving she's ready to step up to the role of leading lady.
There is an unpredictable tone to this sharp and sassy film, and this is one of the reasons it's so engaging. It's not your normal romantic comedy - there is a magical, fairytale feel, and while the ending might be predictable, it resists catering entirely to the code of happy Hollywood endings.
Cast: Keri Russell, Jeremy Sisto, Cheryl Hines, Nathan Fillion, Andy Griffith
Director: Adrienne Shelly
Running time:108 mins
Rating: M, sex scenes
Screening: SkyCity, Hoyts
Verdict: A sweet, simple, funny and engaging little indie film
