KISSING JESSICA STEIN
US, 2001, 97 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Westfeldt, Heather Juergensen, Tovah Feldshuh, David Aaron Baker, Scott Cowan.
Directed by Jennifer Westfeldt.
Kissing Jessica Stone was a strong commercial success in 2001. It is a romantic comedy, co-written with Heather Jurgensen and the star, Jennifer Westfeldt (who also made the film Friends with Kids).
Jessica Stein is a 30 something copy editor with a good job, and an aspiring artist, in a relationship with her college boyfriend who is also her boss at the office, Josh. There is tension in the relationship from both sides. In this context, Jessica encounters an art gallery director, Helen, Heather Jurgensen. There is a mutual attraction, Helen overt in her expressions of affection, but gradually falling in love and beginning and affair.
In the background is Jessica’s Jewish family, especially her eager but overbearing mother. Mother is easier to see Jessica engaged, married, pregnant.
The film also shows life in the office with the various people putting pressure on Jessica and wanting to know what is happening with her relationships.
The screenplay does not go in the direction anticipated, with Jessica fearful of revealing her orientation, Helen becoming exasperated and the two separating – finally meeting at the end as friends.
1. A romantic comedy with a difference? Thirtysomethings? Heterosexual relationships? Lesbian relationships?
2. The settings in New York City, Connecticut? Offices, apartments, homes, restaurants and the social world? The wider situation of large families? The musical score?
3. The Jewish perspective, adults, belief or not, rituals, the rabbi, the mother and her wanting to arrange marriages? The stereotypical Jewish mother?
4. Jessica Stein, her life, work, wanting to be an artist, her relationship with Josh, personal, the past in College, her boss? The discussions in the office, the gossip, the pressures?
5. Jessica and her orientation, the beginning of feelings of attraction to women? The encounter with Helen, the art gallery, Jessica’s art, the outings, falling in love? The experiences? The effect? Helen at the Stein family dinner?
6. Helen as a strong character, openly gay, Jessica and her covering the relationship, reactions, the dinner, Helen and the cooling of the relationship? The separation? The later meeting as friends?
7. Josh, from college, the boss at work, and aspiring writer? Life with Jessica? Time away? Josh and his trying to sort himself out, emotionally?
8. Jessica’s mother, interfering, the dinner, hosting, suspicions, extroverted? The initial sequences with grandma and the stereotypical Jewish grandma?
9. The workplace, friends, confidence, the pregnant friend, her husband, at the socials, wanting to know what was happening?
10. New York, social life, affluence and style?
11. Jessica, her experience, her age, sexuality, her future?
12. The film and its GLAAD awards for portrayal of gay issues, 2001?
