Jenna (Keri Russell), an unhappily married
waitress in the deep-South, is something of a pie savant. She has dreams of
squirreling away enough money to enter a big-city pie baking contest,
claiming the $10,000 first prize money, and leaving her abusive, controlling
husband, Earl (Jeremy Sisto). This dream, her talent, and the camaraderie of
her co-workers are about the only things she has going for her. When she
discovers she is pregnant (Earl gets her drunk to have sex with her), it
appears her dream of ever getting away from her petty little husband has been
dealt a mortal blow. The mother-to-be can muster no affection
or enthusiasm for her impending off-spring (or "the parasite", as she
puts it), but is resolved to see it through and be the best mother she can
be. She dutifully makes an appointment with her OB-GYN, only to find her
replaced by the hunky, and (slightly) strange, Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion,
"Desperate Housewives"). A passionate affair develops as, inside
Jenna's body, nature takes it's course. None of this is particularly fresh, but it
is told in a earnest, but not too damned earnest, manner. Russell's
performance is somewhat pinched and restrained. It's hard to see the
effervescence that the made to order cranky-but-lovable owner (Andy Griffith,
in a role he may easily have performed between naps, but more power to him)
claims to see in her. I've seen her perform a few other times, and she has
always had a big, vibrant personality. Dialing it down to Jenna's grim
reality while maintaining her high-watt effervescence may have been asking
too much of her. The supporting cast helps a lot. Director Adrienne Shelly is
sweet and endearing as ugly duckling
waitress Dawn. Her courtship by the (very) strange and very persistent Ogie
(Eddie Jemison, "Ocean's 11-12-13") is a light counterpoint to the
somewhat grim (or at least dry)
main story. In a neat bit of subtle story-structure, Dawn's eventual
fairy-tale marriage to Ogie serves as a kind of framework on which the tale
of Jenna's miserable marriage is played out. Shelly originally planned to
play the part of Jenna herself. No doubt financing depended on finding a more
marketable star, but it would have been interesting to see what her more
natural and warm persona could have done for the role. Cheryl Hines is a
firecracker as the other waitress friend, Betty. The film's energy level goes
up about 15% every time she's on the screen, but she never seems to divert
attention away from the focus of the scene, mainly because Hines is always IN
the scene, not into herself. Credit her and director Shelly for that. Jenna endures her pregnancy, escapes the
reality of her depressing prospects in the understanding arms of Dr.
Pomatter, and resigns herself to life with Earl (I'm a man, so I know I just
don't understand, but all I was thinking the whole time was JUST LEAVE). Jenna's lack of enthusiasm for her fetus
is a running gag (and, more importantly but less realized, a central theme) of
the film, and leads to some of it's most enjoyable dialogue, as she
constantly rebukes those who offer their congratulations. The film finds it's
focus, however, at the moment the baby is delivered. Jenna discovers that
what she couldn't do for herself, she can do for her child. So we find,
instead of a film about the trials and tribulations of an abused woman, a
film about the liberating freedom and strength that can be found in
parenthood. Note:
Director Adrienne Shelly was tragically murdered in her New York City
apartment on November 1st, 2006. She never saw the film released. She wrote
the screenplay while pregnant with her daughter Sophie, who plays Jenna's
daughter in the film's final scene. A foundation supporting women film-makers
has been formed in her honor by her husband, Andrew Ostroy. To learn more,
click on the link: The
Adrienne Shelly Foundation |
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Disagree? Something to add?
E-mail me and I’ll post your responses! bob@bcspage.com
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