johnabram Waitress is such a disappointing film! Hackneyed plot lines, predictably manipulative, clumsily executed. If it were not for some decent acting by most of the cast this would be given a 1-star- rating by me. If they had dealt with the husband differently, I may have given it 4 stars.On the positive side, Andy Griffiths was outstanding as a lovable old curmudgeon, Keri Russell did her best with ludicrous situations, and Nathan Fillion (I love him!) was so one-dimensional as a super unethical doctor. He can't help being charming, but that's really not his character here… Jeremy Sisto makes us really hate the husband.Generally it feels like a huge mess. I don't recommend it.

JohnHowardReid Yes, we have two movies of the same name released in the same year. This one is not really a comedy, although it is advertised as such and does indeed have its comic moments. It's a sad picture really, its poignancy rendered even more chillingly dramatic by the murder of writer/director/player Adrienne Shelly by an intruder in her New York office/apartment halfway through 2006. Presumably, the movie was edited without her guidelines and it simply runs too long. I'm sure that had she lived, Adrienne would have trimmed the first half of the movie which tends to be both repetitious and inconsequential and even – let's fact it! – boring! With the entrance of the new doctor, however, the last half of the movie becomes very poignant and I'm not really giving anything away by saying that it comes to a rather downbeat conclusion that is not unexpected but still rather sad. Admittedly, a New York reviewer had the opposite response – "Leaves you feeling good!" he wrote. Admittedly, performances are good all around, and as the lead character, Keri Russell is nothing short of outstanding! The superb 20th Century Fox DVD has some wonderful extras.

Jackson Booth-Millard I heard about this independent film, which I really wanted to see, because I knew the writer and director Adrienne Shelly died not long after filming had finished, and not long before it was headlining a film festival, I assumed her death was either an accident or suicide, I had no idea she was murdered! Basically Jenna Hunterson (Dark Skies' Keri Russell) works at Joe's Diner in a small town in the American South as a waitress, inventing many varieties of delicious pies, she hopes to get away from her abusive husband Earl Hunterson (Jeremy Sisto), and has been saving a thousand and hidden it around the house. Her plans suddenly change when she finds herself pregnant with her husband's baby, this is not something she wants but is going to give birth, and it certainly urges her more to enter a pie baking contest to win the $25,000 prize. Tracking Jenna's pregnancy progress is new physician Dr. Jim Pomatter (Nathan Fillion), who at first she is unwilling to talk to much seeing how he is not her usual doctor she has known since childhood, and of course she shows no enthusiasm for the unborn child. She hides this pregnancy for her grouchy boss Cal (Lew Temple) as she is sure he will fire her, but actually he doesn't care, and continuing work she bonds with her only friends, co-workers Becky (Cheryl Hines) and Dawn (Adrienne Shelly), and cantankerous diner owner Old Joe (Andy Griffith) who offers her wisdom. As Jenna spends more time with Dr. Pomatter, who is also married himself, they start seeing each other both in and out of the medical office and having mutual attraction start an affair, and of course he enjoys her delectable pies. The baby is nearing the point of coming out, there is a point when Earl obviously knows she is pregnant, but also discovers the hidden money and she is forced to pretend it is for a baby crib, which she buys with her saved money. Jenna ends the affair with Dr. Pomatter, has a visit from Old Joe who is being treated himself, and soon after she gives birth to a baby girl, it turns out to be something she is really happy about, and bonding with the child she finds the strength to be blunt to Earl and say that she hasn't loved him for years. She is upset to find out that Joe went into a coma and will most likely die, but she remembered he gave her an envelope before the birth, it is a hand-drawn card sketch, and also she is shocked to receive a cheque for $270,450, with a message to start her life afresh. The final scenes see Jenna and her girl she named Lulu (as a toddler played by Shelley's real daughter Sophie Ostroy) bonding joyfully, she does win the pie baking contest, and she taken over the diner renamed Lulu's Pies where her friends and customer enjoy the brightly coloured pies served everyday. Also starring Eddie Jemison as Ogie and Darby Stanchfield as Francine Pomatter. Russell gives a really sweet performance as the woman passionate about pies and trying to find herself while finding new love, Fillion is likable as the doctor and love interest, and the supporting cast members all do well, including Shelley as an eccentric fellow waitress, the story is nice and simple, flows really nicely mixing well though funny, loving and dramatic moments, including with the subjects of motherhood and unhappy marriage, and the pies look really nice, it is such a shame what happened to Shelley, as this is a really heartwarming romantic comedy. Very good!

Imdbidia The story of a young pie cook and waitress, Jenna (played by gorgeous Keri Russell), who struggles to survive emotionally to the tyranny of a jealous and possessive husband in a small town in southern USA.I did not think it was an independent film worthy of Sundance, --where, however, triumphed--, but rather a Hollywood film. The film has an interesting script, but it's too pretentious as touches too many issues (domestic violence, loneliness, deception, creative cuisine, unwanted pregnancy, the need to escape the village and her husband to have a better life) but none of them deep enough or with enough originality.Several elements deserve praise. Firstly, the culinary part. The food and pastries that Jenna creates are an emotional expression of her daily mood and feelings, and the scenes connected with their preparation are beautifully presented, filmed with intimacy and warmth; it somewhat reminds me of the emotional food story presented in Like Water for Chocolate. Secondly, the relationship(predictable and many times told) between Jenna and the grumpy old man who owns the Cafe where she works, played by a delightful Andy Griffith. Thirdly, the dialogs between the three waitresses and their personal stories, really nice and funny, with that southern accent full of grammatical inaccuracies so charming! Finally, the unloving letters that Jenna writes to her unborn child. Moreover, the film has beautiful colors, a 1950s feeling in it too, and a great cheerfulness, that makes the watching very enjoyable.The three waitresses Keri Russell, Cheryl Hines and Adrienne Shelley) are great in their roles, but are Jeremy Sisto, as the insecure and jealous husband, and Griffith, the ones that really stand out and steal the show.