Can I be forgiven for turning off my picky social awareness sensors (others might call this my ‘political correctness’) while watching Kissing Jessica Stein? I hope so, because this movie is mighty enjoyable, despite the niggling feeling as it nears its conclusion that it was crafted to titillate mainstream audiences, while protecting them from having their sensibilities offended.
This story of a hopelessly picky single New Yorker who finds love where she never thought she would is smart and witty, sometimes hilarious and a pleasant twist on the romantic comedy formula. Jennifer Westfeldt plays Jessica, a neurotic Jewish 30-ish woman who – to the horror of her family – remains single and apparently unable to meet any but the most unbearable of men. Following an obligatory – and rather funny – series of dating hell vignettes, Jessica starts thinking outside the box. And she does this at the same time that another New Yorker – Helen Cooper (Heather Juergensen) – decides to move on from her many male partners to an experiment with a female lover. Naturally, the two meet; naturally Jessica’s neuroses get in the way; naturally, this leads to a lot of laughs. But the beauty of Kissing Jessica Stein is that once we get beyond these basics, nothing else is predictable. We don’t know how Helen and Jessica’s relationship will evolve. Heck, we don’t even know whether Jessica – or Helen, for that matter – will conclude that she’s straight or gay.
Packed with sharp, intelligent dialogue about relationships, sexuality, art, family, careers and maturing, Kissing Jessica Stein is infinitely more interesting – and fun – than the usual Hollywood romantic comedy fare – so much so that it’s easy to overlook some rather significant issues that the film raises about sexuality. At its core, this movie is like Jessica – not quite sure what it wants to be. That, and the fact that Westfeldt and Juergensen – who co-wrote the script – consciously chose not to take political stands on the issues the film touches, leaves the thinking viewer wondering what the film is really saying about sexuality. I can imagine some viewers – especially gay viewers – feeling concerned by the implications of what happens in the film (for example, is it telling us that two girls can’t live happily ever after?).
Thankfully, these issues don’t tarnish enjoyment of the movie. Some of the funniest moments come when it playfully pokes at mainstream views – for example, the heterosexual male obsession with lesbian sex, and a granny buffeted by the news that her granddaughter has a female lover, asking hopefully if she’s at least Jewish.
Because the movie doesn’t have a stake in the politics of sexuality, we’re left with the freedom to enjoy any outcome of the romantic machinations; unlike most simple-minded romantic comedies, Jessica isn’t necessarily going to turn out happier under any one scenario than another.
The success of Kissing Jessica Stein is mostly due to Westfeldt and Juergensen’s wonderful script – if only more movies were this smart and funny! The performances of the two leads are strong, and well supported by Scott Cohen, as Jessica’s grumpy former boyfriend and current boss, and Tovah Feldshuh, as her typical Jewish mother. Feldshuh delivers the film’s most moving and uplifting moment skilfully, with the assistance of wonderfully understated scripting.
Except for those who can’t tolerate diverse portrayals of sexuality, or who just can’t get past the film’s hazy implications on the subject, pretty much everyone who likes smart comedy will find this to be wonderfully satisfying entertainment. It effectively makes the point, “Who says that every romantic comedy has got to follow the same formula?”
