Waitress is the sweet story about Jenna (Keri Russell), a waitress and pie-maker at a small southern diner. Unhappily married to her husband Earl (Jeremy Sisto), she is even more unhappy to learn she is pregnant. Earl is controlling, suspicious and mean, inspiring Jenna to create such desserts as “I Hate My Husband Pie.” She also begins hiding money away, planning to run away and escape her miserable life.

Jenna’s two friends at the diner, waitresses Becky (Cheryl Hines, best known as the wife of Larry David in “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and Dawn (Adrienne Shelly, who also wrote and directed the movie) have their own problems with love.
At Jenna’s first doctor’s appointment, she meets the town’s new obstetrician, Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion, Serenity). They fall for each other and embark on dangerous affair. The affair, however, gives Jenna her first taste of happiness in a long time, evident by the huge grin plastered on her face through a montage of scenes. With Jenna’s growing happiness comes the acceptance of her pregnancy.

When Earl discovers Jenna’s condition, he makes her promise not to love the baby more than she loves him. He also finds her hidden money, which she is forced to pretend is for the baby, thus losing her chance to escape to a new life. Meanwhile, grumpy regular customer Old Joe (Andy Griffith) is encouraging Jenna to do the right thing when it comes to her affair.

Waitress runs 107 minutes, but at times feels much longer as the plot drags a little. I could feel myself fidgeting in my seat by the hundredth time Earl made a controlling demand, and there was an immense relief when Jenna finally stood up for herself (some fellow audience members actually cheered). At times the dialogue seemed a little too sweet and there is that slight sick-to-your-stomach feeling you get from eating too much pie, but it fits the movie’s overall theme and actually works by the end. I also appreciated the fact that this is not a predictable romantic comedy chick flick. Instead, it is tender, funny and you find yourself really rooting for the characters.

Writer/director Adrienne Shelly was murdered just days after filming wrapped on Waitress, and the fact that she never got to see the positive reviews her last film has earned is a bittersweet ending to this story. However, in her last turn onscreen as waitress Dawn, she shines. Keri Russell, a favorite of mine since her days on television as Felicity, proves her star power as she displays a range of emotions over the course of the movie. Andy Griffith steals the scenes he is in.

So if you like sweet stories with quirky characters and happy endings, save some room for dessert and see Waitress. ***1/2

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