Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Tidbit Tuesday: A movie and its people

Since this is winter break for the kiddo, I usually look forward to such times to be able to catch up on my To-Be-Read or To-Be-Watched pile. Books take a few days to get through, but a movie is just an evening, innit?
That's how I found myself browsing the TBW pile during the weekend. I planned to write at night, so in the afternoon, to kill time (and to not get into a book in case the writer's voice 'got' under my skin), I went looking for something light to watch. That's how I landed on this movie, Waitress.

At the time I had acquired that DVD, I dunno what really made me get it. Could've been the blurb - this sounded like one those sweet little stories I love to read . Could've been the 'impossible' love between the pregnant, married heroine and her Ob/Gyn.

So I sat down to watch this and I can sincerely say that no movie lately has caught me the way this one did. Allright - Jenna, the heroine, is married and pregnant. Jim, the Ob/Gyn, is married too, but these two do fall in love. And in what a way too! You can see them fighting the attraction, but then they're kissing like there's no tomorrow.

Two lovers, both cheating on their spouses. Doesn't sound like a good idea. However, the magic of the story is that it makes you root for these characters. Yes, they are flawed, but they're very human. Watching this is almost like reading a book, with the GMC spelled out in front of you. You have no trouble understanding these characters.

Another thing that won me - the secondary cast. Each one has his/her bit part and that made the movie memorable. Like Ogie, the over-the-top 'loser' who sets out to seduce Dawn, one of the waitresses. Becky, another waitress, saddled with an old, invalid husband and who finds stolen moments with Cal, the 'odious' diner boss. Old Joe, the really niggling and unnerving old man in the diner.

The mastery of this movie? Its characterization! I love stories where there is a big cast and each one gets his/her little spotlight. I'm not a supporter of the 'H/h only should get exposure' mentality. Could be that Waitress was a bit of an indie flick (hitting mostly at Sundance and Deauville festivals) but if this is what it takes to get stories where there are 'normal people' going about their lives and everyone gets a slice of the pie - then maybe I slant towards indie then.

If you love women's fiction-type stories; if you love quirky characters; if you love a happy ending (and no, I'm not spoiling here!), check out this little gem! It'll make you laugh, cry, and have a good time.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

No comments: