Waitress, a 'revelation'

[+ glutes]

Since we have been discussing movies, this one seems to stand out with rave reviews today. Anyone seen it??

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/11/DDGF5POAC71.DTL

[Lankypeters]

I posted on this last weekend after seeing the film (see "Waitress -- don't wait to see "Waitress"). Wonderful film that will build on word of mouth as well as good reviews. All the elements -- acting, writing, direction -- beautifully judged and blended. The actor playing the doctor is perfectly cast. His is a difficult part to cast and play, I think. He has to be attractive, yet somewhat weak.

 

And he can examine me anytime.

 

 

Lankypeters

[BgMstr4u]

I saw "Waitress" this afternoon, and loved it. It is clearly a formula movie -- you know she will deal with her dreadful husband, you know her feelings about her baby will get resolved, you sense something lovely is coming from her kindness to the old codger (played beautifully by Andy Griffith), etc. What I was not prepared for was the very realistic and yet somehow kind reflection on adult hetero-sexuality (watch for the opening up of the grumpy guy who manages the restaurant), the subtlety with which male relational selfishness was explored, including the doctor's, and the sheer joy of honest girl-on-girl friendship.

 

It also made me want to go out and eat pie. Lots and lots of pie.

 

I saw "Waitress" before I realized that Adrienne Shelly, its writer, director and co-star, was murdered in NYC last November. It's just as well. I enjoyed without that filter the sheer brilliance of her character and its part in the film -- not very pretty or very smart, desperate for love, stalked by the ultimate love-starved nerd, who turns out to be the one in the film who in fact finds love in her marriage. The whole film breathes a subtlety about relationships that is rare in American films -- at once both clear-eyed and generous. What a brilliant talent. I am weeping now in the realization of such a great loss. Thank you, Adrienne Shelly.

 

I hope this film may have the long life its creator did not enjoy.

[Lankypeters]

Beautifully written review, BgMStru (or however you spell it!).

 

If you log on to the NY Times online (http://www.nytimes.com), you can find a piece done on the showing of the film at Sundance last winter. There are interviews with cast members and a lot of interesting details about Shelly's life. You may have to register on the Times site, but it's mostly free stuff. If you get home delivery, you can access everything.

 

I, too, was dying for a slice of blueberry pie when I left the theater. But I abstained. Somehow I didn't think the coffeeshop pie would be as good as the pie in the film.

 

Lankypeters