Waitress is a delectable rom-com, one of my favorite modern romantic fantasies from recent years, with a truly effervescent performance from Keri Russell, who, thanks to Adrienne Shelly’s warm and wonderful script, was given a role that didn’t skimp on edge and sass while still remaining 100% sympathetic. Shelly, who also directed with snappy visual pep and a great understanding of pacing, was tragically murdered in her apartment not long after the film was completed in 2006…, thus never getting a chance to see the amazing success that her film would become (she also left behind an infant daughter and husband). The story centers on an adorable pie maker (Russell) who is stuck in a dead-end marriage to a total loser (Jeremy Sisto, reprehensibly excellent) and who spends anytime away from her kitchen at a local diner working as a waitress. Cheryl Hines and Shelly played her best friends, both of whom have their own relationship issues, while the likes of Andy Griffith, Lew Temple, Eddie Jemison as popping up in colorful supporting performances.
But the crux of the film lies in Russell’s love affair with a married doctor played by a super-charming Nathan Fillion, and how the two lonely souls find a deep connection, that despite being illicit is clearly something born out of true passion and love. At 105 minutes, there’s no fat on this film’s bones, with each scene forwarding the plot and all of the actors in total harmony with the tasty material. And then there’s the cut-ins of Russell making her pies; don’t attempt to watch this film on an empty stomach or with a depleted kitchen because your sweet tooth will be calling out for mercy. After debuting at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, Fox Searchlight purchased the rights for distribution, and the film became a major summer sleeper success, grossing $22 million in theaters before finding a very long shelf life on cable and physical media. A newly launched Broadway musical based on the film has been greeted with much acclaim. It’s a travesty that Shelly’s life was cut so short. Her story is a further reminder to live life to the fullest.
Podcasting Them Softly 