Waitress

Waitress is a beautifully poignant film that celebrates female empowerment while the true life tragically ironic twist is that the director/writer/actress, Adrienne Shelly, was cowardly murdered by a man who was robbing her home, just weeks before the film premiered at Sundance.
The film is a legacy for her daughter who is seen with our heroine, played by the wonderfully pretty Keri Russell.
The story is about Keri's character, Jenna, who is a waitress in a diner, who makes the most amazing pies.  Pies of all types and flavours and they are all related to moments and people in her life.  She is married to a bastard of a husband who controls her and abuses her.  He doesn't like her out of his sight and when he comes to get her, he toots his car horn, CONSTANTLY!  He forces her to have sex and forbids her from doing anything that she wants to do, like enter a pie making contest where she could win $25,000.  She hates her life and so she has been secretly hiding money in the house so that when she gets the opportunity, she can leave him.  However, just before she finally makes the move, she discovers she is pregnant.
Ironically, because her husband forced herself on her, she now needs to see her doctor, who has been replaced by the charmingly handsome, Dr Pomatter, played by the charmingly handsome, Nathan Fillion.  It doesn't take long before they are having a torrid affair and she has never been happier.  Trouble is, he's also married.
The third man in her life is Joe, the curmudgeonly owner of the diner, played by the sprightly Andy Griffith.  No one likes Joe and Jenna must serve him every day.  As is her way, she treats him with respect and as a moral to the story, you reap what you sow, as each character ends up finding out.
This movie is funny, moving, a little naughty, makes you angry at the way she is treated by her husband (and I must admit that even though I would consider myself a good husband, I saw ugly traits of myself mirrored in the character.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not abusive at all [I find violence against women abhorrent] but insecurities can bring a level of possessiveness, that while magnified in the movie and are only minor in my behaviour, still exists and if the movie succeeded on any level, it highlighted my own faults and gave me the opportunity to recognise opportunities to be a better husband and a better person.  I challenge any man to watch this film and not see a small portion of their true selves in the male characters.  Be a real man and treat the woman you love with the respect she deserves.  Remember, the moral for me was you reap what you sow.), and it is bittersweet, when you consider Adrienne Shelly played Jenna's friend, Dawn.
Being the father of two wonderful girls, I recommend and support any movie that promotes female empowerment, especially one that is as well written, directed and acted as this movie.
Thoroughly enjoyable. 8/10