Kissing Jessica Stein (2002)
Note: Spoilers galore.
The lesbian "Billy's
Hollywood Screen Kiss," "Kissing Jessica Stein"
insists on being a romantic comedy that ends realistically.
Granted, along the way it presents a unique story with
several moments of genuine comedy, drama and romance.
The premise for the film doesn't prepare you for
all the surprises that the script has in store. A cursory
synopsis would read something like: "Straight woman,
upset with her lack of compatible male suitors, answers
a personal ad from a woman and the two begin a relationship."
That doesn't really tell you anything about what goes
on around this basic premise. In fact, during much of
the opening 15 minutes or so of "Kissing Jessica Stein,"
we think this is going to be rather standard fare. I
mean the title gives you a basic piece of information;
Jessica Stein is Jewish. Her (standard Jewish sitcom)
neurosis is the very basic problem with her relationships.
Hell, the film begins with the typical scene of Jessica
at a Synagogue with her family while her very typical
Jewish mother tries to get her interested in some of
the males in the congregation. It is only when the story
opens up, after the first half-hour or so, that things
get really interesting.
The film has two really unique POV's going on to
make it a cut above the rest. At heart, "Kissing Jessica
Stein" becomes a coming-out story that we really haven't
seen before. For one thing, Jessica is female, for another,
she's in her late 20's and for a final kicker, she has
lead a straight lifestyle up until this relationship.
This isn't a woman who was a lesbian in denial. Rather,
Jessica is a woman who gets involved in a lesbian relationship
that is a complete surprise to her. The film, after
the initial love story, becomes a story about coming
out to friends and family and co-workers and old boyfriends.
No one in Jessica's life is going to say, "You know,
I always kinda suspected..." because this is an extremely
unique turn of events in Jessica's life.
Finally, the film becomes a story about a couple
in a relationship that just doesn't quite work. Again,
this is a new and interesting moment in lesbian cinema
because the couple is so seemingly unique and the territory
explored here hasn't really been explored in quite this
way in film before, especially with two women. The final
act of the film is a surprise itself as we expect it
to end with the "happily ever after" moment. We don't
expect the film to go any further. That it does is a
delight and a problem.
Although the script by Heather Juergensen and Jennifer
Westfeldt can at times seem, well, scripted, it is generally
pleasing and right-on-target. There is a real honesty
here and it shimmers through most of the scenes. It
doesn't hurt that the principle leads, who are credited
with the script, are very good at improvising and have
a natural chemistry that makes them very comfortable
together on screen. Director Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
is quite adept at catching the seemingly improvised
moments and crafts a really honest film, a film with
the capacity to delight and surprise.
But "Kissing Jessica Stein" ends on such a downer
and hopeless note, on such an obvious and cliched and
contrived ending, that it almost ruins it. Like "Billy's
Hollywood Screen Kiss" it opts for realism over romanticism.
And, when it comes to lesbians films, we still need
romanticism. We still need it to end at "happily ever
after." There isn't enough "happily ever after" in gay
cinema for me. "Kissing Jessica Stein" is another example
of how, when it comes to gay cinema, for the moment,
honesty may not be the best policy.
Note:
Jim J. Bullock has a tiny role.
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Report
Card
Script:
B+
Acting: A-
Cinematography\Lighting: B+
Special Effects\Make Up: C
Music: C-
Final
Grade: B
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