Waitress the Movie: Serving Up a Wry Slice of Pie

Somehow, somewhere along the line, I realized that I just didn't get it--the maternal instinct-- women are supposed to just have.

Between making mud pies in the backyard, climbing trees, writing silly plays and baking cookies (a girly talent I do have), I didn't have time (or the inclination) to imagine my Ëœfairy-tale wedding' or Ëœthe beautiful babies I'd make.'

That isn't to say that I'm a total 'marriage and mommy' cynic or that I'd never become a mom, but...I'll be honest, I'm certainly not jumping for joy for baby showers or wedding showers or really any showers that don't involve...water.

On the rare occasions when a movie about women is made, it's refreshing when that movie isn't all baby-cooing, wedding planning, and so super-sappy it makes my whole body hurt.

That's why I love Adrienne Shelly's film, Waitress. Yes, it's about women AND yes, it involves a pregnancy, but it has none of the fluff you might expect and it's much more humorous than you might imagine...and it involves baking, pies, that is-- something I can appreciate as a creative and visual art.

With a sprinkling of Citizen Ruth and The Good Girl and a dash of Steel Magnolias and other sweet ingredients all its own--including former Felicity herself, Keri Russell, Waitress is a must-see!

Its wry humor gives it an unexpected edge as it portrays Jenna, a girl trapped in her life and not so fond about discovering the fact that she's pregnant.

"I'm having the baby and that's that," says Jenna, "It's not a party though."

Just as Jenna has a passion for pie-making, it doesn't take much to find your passion for Waitress. I waited so long to see it that I thought, for sure, I'd be disappointed. Instead, I was deliciously satisfied. This flick easily made my Amazon Wish List... and for those of you who haven't yet seen it, it just came out on DVD so ya'll got no excuses. And if you're looking for a flick to watch while you bake all those holiday cookies, your Waitress has arrived.

Distributor: Fox Searchlight, a studio that's not afraid to take chances by releasing movies like Waitress and investing the time and energy in marketing them. Check out Fox's luscious and colorful Waitress website.

Fox's current slate includes Juno and The Savages, both non-traditional film fare getting critical acclaim [that surely has studios who passed on the projects biting their lips raw with envy. Remember, this is the studio that brought us Little Miss Sunshine.]

WAITRESS
Cast: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly, Jeremy Sisto & Andy Griffith
Director/Screenwriter: Adrienne Shelly
Producer: Michael Roiff
Genre: Drama / Romance / Comedy
Rating: PG13
Running time: 104 min.

Note: Tragically, Writer/Director Adrienne Shelly, who also appears in the film, was murdered just prior to the film's acceptance into Sundance, something that surely would have made her proud. (Heck, it makes me proud for her!) Please also see the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, a newly-formed, non-profit that helps support women filmmakers.