Director: Adrienne Shelly

Writer: Adrienne Shelly

Composer: Andrew Hollander

Starring: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Jeremy Sisto and Andy Griffith

Jenna (Keri Russell) makes beautiful pies. After all, it’s what all the customers of Joe’s Diner know her for. Each day she creates a new pie in hopes of entering the upcoming pie contest, which has $25,000 grand prize. However, she has a few hurdles to overcome along the way. She is in an abusive marriage to a man (Jeremy Sisto) she doesn’t love, and she recently discovered she is pregnant – a secret she does not tell her husband. And, she has begun an affair with the new resident doctor, Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion). Now Jenna has nine months to win the pie contest, leave her husband, end the affair and try, somehow, to find the strength to love the child she never wanted.

The plot is very conventional. While there are many elements of the writing that don’t work, what does work is our lead heroine, Jenna. Russell embodies Jenna; she engages us in every moment on screen. I could not imagine any other actress getting so much depth out of this character, which is not to say the other actresses don’t do a fine job. They do, but almost all of them are hampered by bland writing.

This is a cute film. Only Russell rises above average to make it a movie worth seeing. The biggest complaint comes from the abusive husband. It’s an unoriginal and uninteresting choice that’s been done a thousand times before, and done better. If they would have left out the physical aspect of his abuse, and made him just a bad husband, it may have worked better. Instead he is so unlikable that he almost becomes a cartoon in his villainy.

The music, costumes and sets all work together wonderfully. They properly aid the actors without overpowering them. The most hysterical aspect is the pie recipes Jenna makes up in her head, such as “Naughty Pumpkin Pie,” “Horny Old Man Pie” and, my favorite, “I Want to Kill My Abusive Husband Pie.” Word to the wise: Don’t go to this movie on an empty stomach, or you will so find out how hungry you can get watching a movie all about making and baking lovely tasting pies. Bon appetite.

Best scene: The final conversation between Jenna and the diner’s owner, Joe. He sees through all her lies and brave face, cutting to the heart of what life should really be about. It’s a very moving speech, delivered perfectly by Andy Griffith.

Favorite performance: Keri Russell. She pours her heart and soul into the lead role, much like her character does when making a pie. She’s soft and gentle at the same time, playing a sophisticated character that guides the audience along in her efforts to forge a new life. It’s top-notch acting.

Overall: Keri Russell rises above a cute, but rather formulaic story, to shine as lovable, though misguided, pie-making waitress Jenna.

Three Stars (out of five)

Oscar nomination chances: 75 percent

See it: Now (at Varsity)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and thematic elements

Running time: 104 mins.

Tag line: If only life were as easy as pie.