WAITRESS. Dir Adrienne Shelley. 2007

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A confection of a film this one, featuring no end of sickly pies baked by Jenna (Keri Russell) in a small town diner. She puts everything she has into the buttery crusts, creamy fillings and marshmallow toppings; it’s all melted bitter chocolate and caramel, but her life is lacklustre and unhappy, her husband is an insecure control freak and he is the obstacle to her creative and emotional fulfilment.

Funny and charming, the film’s humour surprises and delights whenever her git of a husband’s behaviour becomes too oppressive, and the story achieves a nice balance between eliciting sympathy and laughter. Having said that, husband Earl is nasty but not too nasty, and there are times when we wonder why she doesn’t tell him what a prat he really is.

Jenna is horrified to find she is pregnant and her real ambition is to win the pie making competition and open her own pie diner. The pregnancy and her medical consultations with a new doctor bring unexpected benefits. Charming and funny.

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