Movie review - "Waitress" (2007) ***

An example of the "indie rom com" - not quite a Hollywood rom com, but it still has a female lead mixed up with love and wanting something better in life. It is full of sunny charm and sweetness, though guilty of pandering: Kerri Russell has a bad marriage, but its her husband's fault (he's oppressive, clingy, abusive, a bad lover and occasionally violent); a handsome doctor comes along (Nathan Fillot, very likable)to have an affair with; she has two good friends who support her and a crusty old man who proves to be a guardian angel and she has a baby and its wonderful. Adultery gets a good promo here - there are two affairs,both shown to be positive experiences for the women involved. Oh, I'm being mean - this is a nice movie, with some strong performances (I'm not a big Kerri Russell fan but she's fine), writer-director Adrienne Shelley has a sure touch and you walk out feeling really good.