For the first time in a really long time, I saw a romantic comedy in which I could not predict the ending until, well, the very end. Even at one point when I thought it was going to end, there were still more plot twists. As a big fan of the romantic comedy genre, this concept thrills me to no end.
In the film, Jessica Stein, a neurotic Jewish New Yorker is sick of dating loser men, and come to think of it, lacks true female friends as well. So one day, her interest is piqued by a quote included in a "women seeking women" personal ad. She then meets Helen Cooper, and embarks on a journey she's not entirely sure she wants to take. Her mother, played by Tovah Feldshuh (who else could portray the sympathetic Jewish mother), though, knows all along that it's a necessary journey for her daughter to figure out how to include love in her life.
Also joining her are Josh, her boss and ex boyfriend (played Gilmore Girls' Scott Cohen) who still has a crush on her, her younger brother Danny, whose impending marriage does nothing to help Jessica's view on her failed love life, and her very pregnant friend whose lifestyle serves as the complete opposite of Jessica's newfound freedom.
The ending is the best part - it allows us to understand what Jessica's relationships, not only with other people, but with herself, are all about. It allows us to see in Jessica what her mother has known all along. By the end of the film, we realize what Jessica has finally realized - she was so busy trying to find the perfect guy, she forgot to include much needed friends and family into the mix.
Rather than preaching to the choir about the advantages of lesbianism or trying too hard to be politically correct or religiously correct or any kind of correct, "Stein" really gets to the heart of human relationships. The film examines that line between friendship and romantic love, and the importance of friendship. Plus, its hilarious, packed with one liners like "sexy-ugly" and "marinate," (trust me - just see the movie) and little tributes to its predecessors, like "When Harry Met Sally" and "Annie Hall."
By the end of the film, you realize that in fact, the film is not about sexual identity or preference at all. It's about being true to yourself, and learning to have faith in love and friendship.
In the film, Jessica Stein, a neurotic Jewish New Yorker is sick of dating loser men, and come to think of it, lacks true female friends as well. So one day, her interest is piqued by a quote included in a "women seeking women" personal ad. She then meets Helen Cooper, and embarks on a journey she's not entirely sure she wants to take. Her mother, played by Tovah Feldshuh (who else could portray the sympathetic Jewish mother), though, knows all along that it's a necessary journey for her daughter to figure out how to include love in her life.
Also joining her are Josh, her boss and ex boyfriend (played Gilmore Girls' Scott Cohen) who still has a crush on her, her younger brother Danny, whose impending marriage does nothing to help Jessica's view on her failed love life, and her very pregnant friend whose lifestyle serves as the complete opposite of Jessica's newfound freedom.
The ending is the best part - it allows us to understand what Jessica's relationships, not only with other people, but with herself, are all about. It allows us to see in Jessica what her mother has known all along. By the end of the film, we realize what Jessica has finally realized - she was so busy trying to find the perfect guy, she forgot to include much needed friends and family into the mix.
Rather than preaching to the choir about the advantages of lesbianism or trying too hard to be politically correct or religiously correct or any kind of correct, "Stein" really gets to the heart of human relationships. The film examines that line between friendship and romantic love, and the importance of friendship. Plus, its hilarious, packed with one liners like "sexy-ugly" and "marinate," (trust me - just see the movie) and little tributes to its predecessors, like "When Harry Met Sally" and "Annie Hall."
By the end of the film, you realize that in fact, the film is not about sexual identity or preference at all. It's about being true to yourself, and learning to have faith in love and friendship.