Sunday, December 9, 2007

Waitress

Movie: Waitress
Like/Don't Like: Um...overall - don't like

I remember hearing about this movie when it came out, mostly because of the tragic stuff with the writer/director/person in the movie who was murdered in her own apartment before it came out. Sad. And also because I have a soft place in my heart for Keri Russell. Oh Felicity. The hours I spent watching you walk around the streets of NYC in slow motion, wistfully looking over your shoulder. Those were the days.

I remember hearing that this movie was sad and quirky. So true. Although more sad than quirky. I'm not against sad movies. Shadowlands is pretty high up there for me and if there's a sadder movie out there, I'd like not to hear about it because I'm a sucker and would probably end up watching it and I don't think there's a tissue box large enough to handle the amount of tears I would shed if it were sadder than Shadowlands. That scene...in the attic...when they're sitting on the steps...after she dies. Oh gee whiz.

But this one was more depressing than sad. Felicity plays a pie baking waitress who is pregnant with her abusive husband's baby and she's not happy about it. Boy, is she not happy. And then she has an affair with her doctor, who is married. And then (this is where I give away the ending) she has the baby and ends the affair and dumps her louse of a husband. Which is great, but that is about 5 minutes at the end. The rest just kind of wears you down with how sad her life is.

Which may be the reason why I went to bed feeling a little let down, even after everything worked out for the best. It had all the makings for a movie I'd really like. Snappy lines, homey locale, wise cracking side characters, pie, Andy Griffith, and a guy who creates spontaneous poetry. That last one should have won me over all by itself, and it was close. So close. But not close enough. I wanted to eat pie at the end of it, but mostly to cheer me up.

4 comments:

Liz the Poet said...

I actually wanted to see this one when it first came out. The preview made it look all happy and full of pie.

But it was sad? And full of affairs?

Man, I hate false advertising! (And I DETEST movies about affairs.)

Laura said...

I saw this one in the theater, and agree that the ads were a little off. I was under the impression that it was all about the pie and the quirky life and her quest for pie-baking stardom. But it SO wasn't. My favorite thing about the movie was all the cute names she came up with for her pies. I'm still dying for a recipe for Marshmallow Mermaid pie (or something like that).

Anonymous said...

Greg and I just watched this last weekend and though I want to say I liked it because there were some funny parts, it was pretty sad. The girl should have stood up for herself a little sooner! Girl Power! Also, Greg guessed the ending with the money, so that was no fun. disappointing.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you on the whole affair thing, and the fact that her life is very depressing. But you have to admit that the part when the Dr. says in a totally professional voice, "Tell them at the front desk to get you in for Friday. I wish it were Friday." it was kind of funny. I would really like some of that pie, too.