Hiccup

For those highly-valued, regular readers of Nettertainment, I offer an apology for not posting last night, but I have the perfect excuse. As those same regular readers may have noticed, I make it a point not to discuss personal events within the html pages of this blog. However, I am happy to reveal that my lovely wife and I spent last night celebrating the 10th Anniversary of my marriage. Why spoil it by breaking off to write about politics?

In the spirit of that celebration, I do want to recommend an excellent "date movie" and the one we saw before a memorable dinner out here at Hatfields in Los Angeles, Waitress. Sure to be remembered as an indie classic, it tells the story of a gifted pie-maker and lovelorn diner waitress, played with surprising credibility by Keri Russell, and what ensues when she learns that she's been rendered pregnant by her godawfully controlling and insecure husband, played by the always brilliant, painfully hilarious Jeremy Sisto.

While the film has the "indie-Hollywood" aspect of employing some well-known actors along with the unknown gems, and steers very close to preciousness in conception and sometimes execution, there's just so much humor and pain and life in the movie that I found myself (admittedly already in a romantic comedy-friendly mood) drawn in and having a great time.

Of particular note are late-blooming comedic actor Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm), who once again shows off her terrific skill and appeal, and in a maybe last-of-career supporting role, Andy Griffith. His presence seems to bestow the "Mayberry" seal-of-approval, as if Writer/Director/Co-Star Adrienne Shelly wants to make sure those old enough to remember do understand where she's coming from, creating an updated version of the loopy but recognizable smalltown America so many of us spent so many half-hours enjoying as children.

There is a tragic off-screen coda to the movie experience which seems to deepen the sweet and rueful emotions I felt watching the picture. Creator Shelly was brutally murdered in her NYC office late last year, and while the killer is being brought to justice, it's obviously a terrible thing. Not only did this asshole cut short the life of a 40 year-old woman, leaving her own 2 year-old daughter motherless and husband a widower, but he surely truncated the beginning of an undeniably promising career behind the camera. One can imagine the bigger romantic comedies Shelly could have made following this success, whether with Keri Russell or Diane Keaton or whoever might be a known or unexpected female romantic lead.

So here's to Ms. Shelly's final gift, a poignant one to her daughter per the closing sequence and final shot, and a welcome one for "romcom" hungry moviegoers.