Waitress (2007)

Now you must understand one thing about me - I like a good romantic comedy from time to time, but I am a guy, and sometimes I have to work myself up to it. So, when I saw the preview for Waitress, the romantic comedy starring Kari Russell, I was underwhelmed. However, all of my favorite critics raved about it - that and the fact that my wife is a huge (seriously HUGE) fan of Felicity (which stars Kari Russell) - and I finally gave in and rented it.

Kari Russell stars as a small town diner waitress, that loves to bake pies. Her life is the epitome of misery and depression, as her husband is verbally and emotionally abusive. As she strives to save cash so she can run away and enter a pie baking contest, she finds out that she is pregnant, which further boxes her into a life that she despises. Things turn from depressing, to maddeningly complicated as she falls in love with the new town doctor. Their relationship turns into an affair that offers her the only escape from her dark world. Sounds like a pretty depressing plot I know, but it plays like a comedy, so it is not quite as depressing as it sounds....



The movie was far more interesting than I ever thought it would be. It was full of difficult moral choices, and the drama that is the inevitable result. The acting was really good, Kari Russell won me over (and I have to admit, ever since, I have watched a few episodes of Felicity since then...). Now I will always have a hard time with a movie that justifies an extra-marital affair - however, if there was ever a case for it, this movie makes it. The ending was especially satisfying (I won't spoil it for you).

I highly recommend this movie to just about anyone - but not for kids (there are a few sexually charged scenes, and some language).