Life is like a slice of pie...

Last week, CineVerse was charmed by the pluck and prettiness of Keri Russell's character in "Waitress." A roundup of our group discussion on this film follows:

HOW IS THIS FILM DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU EXPECTED?

·       Yes, it’s a chick flick and a romcom to a great extent, but it’s not as cookie cutter, predictable and cliché as you might expect. Men could easily enjoy this picture as much as women if they give it a chance.

·       It takes turns in plot and character development that you may not have saw coming, and it doesn’t paint with too broad a brush: even the brutish husband Earl is arguably played in a non-caricatured way.

·       It’s not exactly a strong testament to the affirming power of marriage or the joyous expectations of impending motherhood: in this film, seemingly everyone is unfaithful, the lead character is less than excited about having a baby, and she yearns to get away from her abusive husband

·       It would appear at first glance to have overdone, stock characters sampled from TV shows like “Alice” and “Two Broke Girls,” and a sickly sweet downhome charm with the casting of Andy Griffith; however, each character is distinctive and worthy of his/her screen time.

·       It’s a hard film to dislike because you can’t help but root for Jenna in her predicament and her desire for a better life.

CAN YOU IDENTIFY ANY THEMES THAT “WAITRESS” TRIES TO INVESTIGATE?

·       Life doesn’t have to be a dead end if you use your talents, capitalize on opportunities and look at things in a different way.

·       It is possible to start a new life, despite seemingly insurmountable hurdles.

·       We don’t have to conform to what society tells us to do, such as remain in a bad marriage, be perfectly prepared for parenthood, and be happy with the status quo.

·       Life is like a slice of pie: sometimes you’re given a good and fair sized slice, sometimes not

OTHER FILMS THAT COME TO MIND AFTER WATCHING “WAITRESS”

·       The Good Girl, a similar picture about a female caught in a doomed marriage and trying to escape from a rote, dead-end life

·       Chocolat, a romantic comedy that also uses food as a plot device and as a metaphor for life

·       Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a movie about a waitress sparking a relationship with an exciting new man in her life