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Movie Review: ”Kissing Jessica Stein”

“Kissing Jessica Stein” (USA 2001) ***
Directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld

The title “Kissing Jessica Stein” refers to the key moment when Jessica receives a kiss from a ‘personal’ date, causing her life to divert onto a different course. Jessica is a twenty-something, pretty Jewish blonde (Jennifer Westfeldt), whose otherwise ordinary world revolves around unsuccessful dating, family gatherings and office work. The trouble though is that this kiss comes from another woman, Helen (Heather Juergensen), a funky artist living with two gay guys. But writers Juergensen and Westfeldt (the film’s two stars) and director Herman-Wurmfeld have fashioned their story into a fresh, romantic comedy of a different sort – one that crossovers from the straight to the lipstick lesbian. And one that makes a welcome change from the spate of unimaginative Hollywood romantic comedies such as “Serendipity”, “Kate and Leopold”, “Birthday Girl”, “The Wedding Planner” that have flooded theatres recently. Jessica is jittery and anxious on both the inside and the outside. Her ideal mate would be one that compliments her nature and most importantly one that will breakthrough her false idyllic existence.

Based on the off-Broadway play “Lipschtick” (also by the same writers) that originated as a series of vignettes exploring dating hell, the film is brought out into the open by director Herman-Wurmfeld. With frequent cutting of scenes from interiors to exteriors – of apartments, officers and houses, the viewer quickly forgets the film’s theatrical origin. This allows the different acts, often punctuated by sprightly songs and many monologues to flow smoothly through.

Herman-Wurmfeld starts off his film set in a synagogue with mother, daughter and grandmother arguing about dating amidst the service. The song “Put on a Happy Face” is heard on the soundtrack. The sky is bright. As one character puts it: “We see the world as we are – not what they are”! “Kissing Jessica Stein” is light and enjoyable because the filmmakers want it so. It could have easily been a serious drama, trying to drum into many truths or tackling countless issues. For example, Jessica’s Jewish background is taken ‘matter-of-factly’. She could have easily belonged to any other ethnic group. It is a bit unfortunate that Juergensen stereotypes her character, family and friends. She is quirky and nervous and the loud and over made-up older ladies could have immerged right out of a Woody Allen film. Fortunately though, the film does not fall into the trap of mimicking Allen’s works as did Ed Burns’ “Sidewalks of New York”.

Though the film cops out by covering only the crucial parts of Jessica’s life – by shifting onwards three months (at a time) on two occasions, it works better as a little film than an ambitious failure. Its strength lies in the uncompromising look at differing characters that could have been so overstepped for the sake of comedy. But the message of love, differences, sharing and the ‘joie de vivre’ comes across loud and clear in an entertaining fashion, still with many laugh-out loud moments, witty dialogue and cute life observations. It also helps that the actors, many of whom have appeared in the stage version, interact comfortably. But most importantly, “Kissing Jessica Stein” achieves its purpose – Jessica is at the end of the film no longer the lady she once was. She has matured through a relationship. The most wonderful observation of it all is that the change could not have come from a straight encounter.

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