Director/Screenwriter/Actress Adrienne Shelly's feature film Waitress is a beautiful and tender film filled with humor and heart in all the right places. Keri Russell finally shakes off her Felicity persona and deftly portrays Jenna, a master-pie-maker/waitress trapped in an emotionally abusive marriage, with acute timing and wit. Supporting characters are equally engaging, with an extra-special turn by Andy Griffith as a cantankerous patron at the diner he owns.
The plot develops smoothly, although there aren't many surprises. We know that by the end Jenna will pull herself out of her terrible life and find a way to live the life she dreams about. The fun is in discovering how she gets there and Shelly and Russell succeed in keeping us engaged with Jenna as she claws her way through the muck. Jeremy Sisto's performance as Jenna's husband Earl was unconvincing and it's hard to believe she could really end her marital problems with one stern speech. Still, putting that and some of its predictability to the side, this is a delicious and smart film with plenty of eye-candy, warmth, and good feelings all around (and it made me really hungry).
