Review of Waitress (2007) by Mike C — 16 May 2012

I watched this twice and enjoyed it both times. The dynamics worked for me because much more rang true than the occasional mismatches that might have jarred one out of "suspension of belief" . Why did Jenna marry Earl, a husband she now despises? Earl is a caricature of the controlling husband. In his portrayal there is just enough of a threat of violence (none is ever shown) to understand why Jenna acts the way she does - so passive as to parrot his instructions on what he wants her to say to him. This could easily have been a tragedy (with Earl killing her) but the humor of the film keeps it from being grim.

Jenna makes pies with names like "self pitying loser pie".

Jenna is saved because of the gift of making pies that her mother gave her.

It is clear that the mother's love for Jenna saved the baby's life as otherwise Jenna hated the idea of having Earl's baby. The movie starts with Jenna's dismay at being pregnant. The movie ends with a lovely lullaby that links Jenna's mother's love of Jenna to Jenna and the new baby.

There is the sad story of the murder of the director-writer Adrienne Shelley, killed in New York by a construction worker who tried to make it look like a suicide. This was just before the film was accepted at the Sundance Film Festival. Adrienne also played a supporting role in the film as one of Jenna's co-waitresses.