Kissing Jessica Stein is a very romantic movie. That’s why it made such a perfect date for me and my current partner when we were just at the beginning of the long and winding road. Though this sure falls into GLBT category, I’d say the movie is really for anyone. What differs Kissing Jessica Stein from the vast majority of the 10% category is that it’s not pierced with gay vibes every moment through. I felt absolutely normal watching it later with my brother (due to his credit he did not understand a word of English) – though it might as well be my family problem. :)

If you’re looking for some kind of revelation, please don’t. Kissing Jessica Stein is your average “boy meets girl”, except it’s a “girl meets girl”. That minimal twist (shh’yeah!) makes it worth it. Oh, and have I mentioned it’s funny, too? I laughed (and I cried a bit – err, almost) and I completely fell in love with Helen.

Who?

Ahh, you probably want to know more.

Helen Cooper (Heather Juergensen) is a New York art gallery manager, who’s “in a situation” with three different men. However, she’s looking for something different. Jessica Stein (Jennifer Westfeldt) is a copy-editor (with a heart of an artist), she’s single, straight and Jewish. She also is very unsuccessful in finding the One (prince on a white horse).

One day Helen gives an ad in that curious “women seeking women” section. Of course, Jessica wouldn’t even look there, but Rilke’s quote taken out of the ad by her colleague makes her interested. I bet you can tell what happens next. I also bet you can’t tell how that happens. That’s worth renting the movie.

“So, Helen?” -- you give me that weird look (since the title places Jessica up-front and I don’t). I might be in a minority but I liked her best, her character seems more alive. Jessica sometimes seems to be disabled by her neurosis (you’ll find that word in every review) and shyness (before any sort of new and unforeseeable experience with which one does not think oneself able to cope).

No matter what, I almost believed in this fairy tale – but the ending spoiled it. My partner once asked me how Helen could do this. Where did she find strength (to end it like she did)? I don’t know. But what I do know is that I rarely watch the ending since it stinks.

This movie can raise questions that many of us had to face years ago and don’t want to get back to it (ever again): is human sexuality a genetic gift or a choice? Even though it was the last thing on my mind while laughing my butt off, I came back to it later. Jessica is straight, you can’t take that away from her. Even if we take Helen’s “Oh, I have. I just find many things sexy” line for its face value, then it’s still Jessica’s volunteer choice to play in a different playground, some sort of experiment (I hear the “boo”s in the left wing). Then Martin, Helen’s gay friend, brings the topic of “you’re either or” and the issue of choice.

Among all, there’s a slight touch on a parents attitudes issue. I envy Jess. I do. I never really had a good relationship with my mother (anybody’s got tissues?) and her mother is probably the closest it can get to a dream mom.

When you look at the credits, don’t be fooled. Even though Heather Juergensen and Jennifer Westfeldt wrote the script, they are “just friends”. The script didn’t loose anything from it. However, I have a friend who complained on how lousy dialogues were. All these “yeah, yeah” and alike. I thought they made it real. Sheesh, I couldn’t even be bothered till she pointed it out to me. I was pretty much satisfied with the script – it made me laugh – I don’t ask for more! -- and it made me want to own the movie really badly and watch it every time I have an extra hour on hands (no, the movie is longer than an hour).

The soundtrack is gorgeous, too. You take New York and you just have to add jazz. A very simple formula made Kissing Jessica Stein so enjoyable.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age