Who's in It: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly, Jeremy Sisto, Andy Griffith
The Basics: A small-town Southern waitress, also a pie-making expert, finds herself stuck in an abusive relationship, pregnant with a baby she doesn't want. Plus, she's having an affair with her ob-gyn. To make it all right again, she has to win a regional bake-off. I know it sounds dumb in that "ain't these hicks funny?" way, but it's actually really sweet and moving.
What's the Deal? Honestly, as nice as this is, I had a hard time watching it. That's because I'm a big fan of Shelly, indie-film veteran and this movie's writer, director and co-star, and she was murdered last year, leaving behind a husband and a very young daughter. It's just nothing but sad to see her onscreen and hear other actors saying her dialogue and have to think, "Oh, yeah, she's dead now." Fortunately, it's a genuinely good-hearted and charming film about motherhood that'll disarm any cynicism you may bring to it.
One Beef: Generic, region-nonspecific, doofus-sounding Southern accents abound. It doesn't help that the king of that sort of thing, Griffith, is in this. Not that he's bad. In fact, he's more watchable than in a hundred or more episodes of Matlock, but still, he's been the go-to guy for that dialect for decades now. Anyway, like I say, I give it all a pass because the movie's that adorable.
Pie Facts: Over 200 actual pies were created, some inedible apparently. And even though they brought in a "pie consultant" (whatever that is), according to my press notes, Shelly made most of the pies herself.
Want to Support Women in Film? Then give to the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, which was set up in her memory to provide scholarships and grants.