Waitress

Waitress (2007)
Directed by Adrienne Shelly
**3/4

As far as propaganda on film goes, I'm convinced there's nothing more dangerous than the escapist fantasy. Sleepless in Seattle did it decades ago, trashing normal (read: imperfect) relationships and assuring women that if they just kept dumping normal guys, they'd eventually end up with the right one who would ring all their bells. Waitress, sadly, continues the tradition. I really wanted to like it, and actually had a few friends recommend it to me. Keri Russell is truly endearing, and the cutesie caricature of small-town life had many enjoyable moments. Surprisingly, the film succeeds at recognizing its own sappiness and subtly undermining it. But ultimately, this is smarmy fantasy propaganda about getting your own way, jumping in and out of affairs to reward yourself for living in an unsatisfying marriage, and using divorce as a weapon. It felt so sickly sweet that it wasn't until I began to gag on it that I tasted the poison.

Comments

[Kat]

Perfectly put Will. Great analysis. Although I did want some of her pies!