This is the last film to be made by the director/ actress Adrienne Shelly who was tragically murdered in November 2006. It is a sweet movie. It reminded me of the excellent “Amelie.” The film is based around the life of Jenna (Keri Russell) who works in a Diner in a run down Southern town in the USA. Jena lives in an abusive and loveless marriage and finds solace in the friendship of her two fellow waitresses (played by Adrienne Shelly and Cheryl Hines). She is also a master pie maker. Jena pours all of her emotional energy into creating new recipes for pies. However Jenna feels is reflected in the pies she makes, so hence ”falling in love pie” or “miserable pregnant loser pie”.
In Jenna’s black and white dreary life, the creativity of pie making brings colour and gives her hope and she is able to touch the lives of others through her culnary gifts. One such person is the owner of the pie shop and many of the other businesses in the town: Old Joe (played by Andy Griffiths).
The film reminds me a number of movies and has a somewhat derirative feel to it.
1. The relationship between Jenna and Old Joe echoes – As Good as it Gets.
2. The food as therapy and blessing idea echoes – Chocolat
3. The unwanted child that ends up transforming the parental figure theme echoes – Three men and a baby; Baby Boom; etc.
4. Affair as liberation theme echoed: Unfaithful,
4. The opening sequence with pies appearing on plates reminded me of Napolean Bonaparte if I remember correctly.
Nevertheless I was hooked by this movie. I enjoyed the banter between Old Joe and Jenna. I enjoyed the friendships between the waitresses and the bumbling stupidity of the local doctor (Nathan Fillion).
I was frustrated by the affair in the movie. It dealt simplisitically with the theme of adultery. No harm was done to anyone through the tryst. In fact it is part of the liberation of Jenna from helpless housewife to succesful mother and business woman. It started being a purely sexual relationship and then turned into a deep friendship. Although Jenna is most certainly a victim in the movie and is severely sinned against by her inexcusably abusive and manipulative husband. Jenna is also guilty of breaking trust, hypocrisy (criticising her friends fling with the boss) but this is not effectively dealt with.
Despite these shortcomings this was a really enjoyable movie.
For an interview with Nathan Fillion click here.
Here are some of the pie recipes featured in the movie:
Falling in Love Chocolate Mousse Pie
Ingredients:
Makes 6 servings.
1 x 20cm cooked sweet pastry case
1 (400g) can condensed milk
170ml water 150g caster sugar
40g cocoa
20g cornflour
30g plain chocolate 570 ml double cream, stiffly whipped, plus extra for decoration
- In large saucepan, combine the condensed milk, water, caster sugar, cocoa and cornflour, whisking until smooth.
- Over a medium heat, add the chocolate and stir continuously until it melts and the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and beat until smooth. Leave to cool and refrigerate for 15 minutes before folding in the double cream.
- Pour the mixture into prepared pastry case and chill for 4 hours or until set. Decorate with whipped cream and serve.
Pregnant Miserable Self-Pitying Loser Pie
Ingredients:
Makes 8 servings.
1 packet (450g) shortcrust pastry
200g blueberries
190g caster sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornflour
100ml water
3 eggs, beaten
170g demerara sugar 280ml glucose syrup 170ml double cream 6 tablespoons butter, melted 125g uncooked rolled oats 100g finely chopped fruitcake 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tbsp brandy
- Line a 25cm loose-based tin with approximately two thirds of the shortcrust pastry. Reserve the trimmings. Chill the pastry case in the fridge until ready to use.
- Heat the blueberries, 40g of the caster sugar and the lemon juice in a saucepan until the juices begin to run from the fruit. Mix the cornflour with the water, then stir a little of the hot juices from the pan into the cornflour mixture. Stir this mixture back into the pan and continue stirring until thickened. Set aside to cool.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/ Gas Mark 4.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, demerara sugar, remaining caster sugar, glucose syrup, cream, butter, oats, fruitcake and vanilla extract. Mix well and stir in the blueberry mixture. Pour into the prepared pastry case.
- Roll out the remaining pastry and cut into long strips about 2cm wide. Create a lattice on top of the blueberry filling, by laying out the strips of pastry at 2 cm intervals across the pie, turning the pie 90 degrees and adding a second row of pastry strips to form a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes or until browned and set.
- Pour the brandy onto the hot pie and set fire to it carefully with a match. Allow the alcohol to burn off and serve.
