La Tentation de Jessica

Jessica is Jewish, uptight, slightly neurotic and single. Everyone around her is married, dating, pregnant or something and she has to take grief from her family who want to see her "happy". Try as she might she can't find a guy that she likes enough to see twice. So when she sees an advertising from a woman looking for company she strangely finds herself responding and turning up to meet the bisexual Helen. The easy chat they have overcomes Jessica repulsion at the whole idea and soon they have become more than just friends. However can Jessica accept the truth herself far less be honest with others.

This is a strange mix of a film that mostly does enough to work. In some ways it seems to be a quirky independent film but in many ways it is just an OK mainstream comedy. Jessica herself seems to be a strange mix between the neurotic side of Woody Allen, the quirky side of Ally McBeal and the female side of Bridget Jones. It is a strange mix but it more or less works as a piece of entertainment even if it isn't as sassy and fresh as it thinks it is. The relationship between Jessica and Helen is delivered in a pacey fashion that doesn't quite ring true due to the lack of depth to it but it does enough to keep things moving along. Laughs are not that common but the general amusing air carries it along and, although the romance is basic and the characters thin, they it is easy viewing and they still engage if you are in an undemanding mood.

Westfeldt overplays her neurotic character a little bit but she just manages to keep her convincing. She has an easy chemistry with Lake which really helps cover up the lacking material they both have to deal with; it helps that they wrote it and were probably very in touch with what they were trying to do, even if they didn't necessarily do what they could have done. The rest of the cast pretty much match them in turning in workable but unspectacular performances – not their failing but more to do with the fact that the script is breezy and light and not something a lot of depth can be brought out of. Herman-Wurmfeld's direction matches the light material and keeps it breezy.

Overall this is a pretty sweet little film although not as fresh and fun as it thinks it is. The two leads could have done more as writers but they do have a good feel for the material and their performances help cover the material. Not many laughs or insights but it is consistently amusing and nice enough to be worth watching if you are looking for something undemanding.

It's a romantic comedy, a friendship comedy, a brand new take on the single girl in Manhattan and a groundbreaking queer love story all at the same time! An exploration of the different kinds of love and connection people need. I dare you not to relate to hopelessly single Jessica Stein who decides to finally do what fed-up straight women have been threatening to do for ages: just switch to girls! Add in a handful of Jewish guilt and **young Jon Hamm** and you've got an absolutely adorable film. I've seen it many times and it never loses its charm!

I really enjoyed this movie. It was hilarious, and very familiar at some degree. Everything in the movie went well until the end. I honeslty wish it would have turned out a little differnet then it did, but otherwise, it was funny, and very touching.

There are so few lesbian genre films "OUT" there. And for those lesbian genre films that do exist most have characters that are either disturbed psychopaths (my favorite- Heavenly Creatures) or cardboard cutout prototypes that have no place in my world. As result, unfortunately most lesbians are starved for good lesbian genre films. The best lesbian roles have usually been played out in supporting role characters within the main stream. To appease the appetite, `gaydar' commands an ever watchful eye to find those precious tidbits.

However, thank heavens for the charming wit and refreshingly real characters in "Kissing Jessica Stein". "Kissing Jessica Stein" goes beyond the stereotypical to explore individual characters for who they are and what they are going through in their lives. The film is a positive reinforcement on the value of relationships to an individual's personal growth and spiritual evolution.

"Kissing Jessica Stein" is a highly intelligent romantic comedy that goes deep to explore emotional relationships: Not only between Jessica and Helen but also between Jessica and her Mother, Jessica and Josh, other co-workers and all of their friends. The film highlights the importance of discovering yourself and of letting those that love and care about you know who and what makes you happy. Ultimately anyone that truly loves you wants you to be happy. Jessica and Helen's continued deep friendship after their breakup is testament to this. Jessica's painting, Josh's true love for writing and Helen's continued enjoyment of a lesbian sexual relationship is also testament.

All is true to the spiritual core of the writers intent. There is no definitive end to ongoing life. The writers cleverly leave us to "marinate" within our own imaginations.

Jessica Stein (Jennifer Westfeldt) is a hopelessly single gal in the city. Her Jewish mother Judy (Tovah Feldshuh) is very concern. Everybody is getting married and moving on. She has nothing but bad dates. She thinks she's getting set up with Charles (Jon Hamm) but he's actually taken. At the group diner date, co-worker Josh Meyers (Scott Cohen) insults her with biting insights and cruelty. Helen Cooper (Heather Juergensen) is a bisexual art gallery assistant who places an intriguing personal ad. Jessica decides to answer it.

Westfeldt is playing the neurotic city girl. It's her goto move. It's cute. It's awkward. It has some fun. It's not particularly profound. It feels like a straight person's vision of a gay relationship. Everybody's life is different. I can buy into this relationship. It just pushes too hard with too many cute moments with cute awkward Westfeldt. It feels too light weight when the material keeps begging to be darker. It feels too much like a TV sitcom for too long.