Waitress: The Musical

I've been listening to Sara Bareilles' music for a long time and even heard many songs from Waitress before I learned it was a musical. I love the music and was excited to see it was available to stream.

It took me about ten tries over the course of a year to watch this because I couldn't get past Joe Tippett playing the husband Earl. He plays a slimy, creepy abuser too well and I couldn't watch. I finally wanted to know what happened at the end and I'm glad I watched it. But I don't think I'll watch it again. I've been known to always love many sad, depressing movies but I had the hardest time getting past my discomfort of watching Earl.

It was hard to chose a rating for this because everyone did a great job, and Tippett even did too good of a job but I know many people would have a harder time than I did to watch this so I wanted to give it a warning.

This is definitely one of my favorite movies of all time. The vocals and music were incredible. The entire cast was amazing. This movie is a must see. Waitress has always been one of my favorite musicals, and I never saw it on Broadway, but this movie makes you feel like you are in the theater. There wasn't a single bad song or moment at all, and you could feel all of the emotions with the characters. There were sadder, deeper, moments in the storyline, but there were still hilarious jokes and baking puns. "She Used to be Mine" was amazing. Those vocals were sooo good!!!!! I loved this movie so much, and I've even seen it three times! Everyone should go see it, this is great!!!!!!

This isn't a "movie" as much as it is a live recording of Broadway show - complete with scene changes. Based on that genre, I think the cast did a fantastic job with both character portrayal and musical performance. The staging and scene changes were downright beautiful - a master class in not letting a scene change slow down a performance as well as use of space and light to keep the story moving along.

The acting was absolutely top notch. Every actor simply nailed their character. Vocal performances were absolutely up to professional musical theater standards.

The story is decent, if not a bit too predictable. There are a few little twists and turns that provide some small surprises, but overall things work as one would expect.

The only downfall here is the editing between the live performances and the closed set performance used for many of the close-ups . Visually, the switch was often very obvious (especially the hospital scene).

Nonetheless, if you are a fan of musicals, this is worth a watch. If you are not a fan - probably best to move along.

At some point, when they pull out her baking station on stage for the umpteeth time you can't help but roll your eyes and groan. Don't get me wrong, it's a cute musical. The characters are extremely stereotypical, but pleasant. It can be fun to watch them interact.

However how many times can you stand watching the main character explain her feelings in baking terms, while baking? I know many great musicals resolve around a central theme. But it's on the nose. Very on the nose. We're supposed to root for the main character and her dream of escaping a difficult situation through bakery, however at some point her relentless baking and recipes with increasingly unhinged names and ingredients just starts becoming gratingly annoying.

The music isn't particularly great either. It's fine. Nothing that I'd want to listen to on repeat. The biggest problem is that it all sounds like typical Sara Barailles fare, written for her, but sung by other people. Her typical vocal stylings are frequently imitated by other characters, because that's how the songs were written, but it all becomes very samey.

Overall I'd say it's like a pie that's too sweet. The impression is delicious, but you soon realize it's too sweet. You try to persevere, but before long the pie becomes cloying and unpleasant.

I just finished watching the musical and I was blown away. I don't often say that. The last time was going to see 'Phantom of the Opera' and "Les Miserables' on stage. I watched this by myself in front of my big screen TV and my heaven, the talent, the emotions, the production. The music, the lyrics. I want to watch the show again for all that. Sara Bareilles is amazing and so natural a singer/actor, you feel every emotion she felt all through the story.

The story of just trying to feel a bit of happiness, living with an abuser (they come in many guises) and friendship among disparate personalities comes together in this production. The sets are simple but perfect, the quick seamless changes of scene, too. I laughed and then cried at the end because I saw and felt that the sense of finding true happiness is within everyone's reach and it doesn't necessarily come with being swept away by a perfect love. I mean, you hope for it but it's not the be-all and end-all. And the surprise of someone in your life you never thought would be a big influence for change does reflect real life as I have lived it.

Just wonderful. I executed my own standing ovation in the privacy of my living room. Couldn't help myself.