Movie Review: Kissing Jessica Stein

Kissing Jessica Stein: Torgo disapproves

This movie should be subtitled: Adventures in Lesbianism. It's not that bad of a movie. My main problem is that it glorifies what might be called gay-trolling, which has nothing to do with gay trolls and everything to do with exploiting someone because your regular life is boring.

Jessica Stein is 100% straight but, after getting tired of not finding the right guy, she answers an ad and ends up in a relationship with Helen. Helen's willing to look past Jessica's being straight for what seems like a year, then decides she can't do it anymore. So Jessica goes merrily back to her straight life.

This movie could have been about being experimental, trying new things, being open and accepting, but it's too much of a standard 90's-style romantic comedy. There's a clear and rigid formula to the plot. It gets to that point where the happy couple has their first big fight (over Jessica's unwillingness to take Helen to her brother's wedding), then the lead has to be consoled by her wise, accepting friend (here, her mother), realize her mistake, and go running back.

There are also too many moments, particularly early on, when the writers are trying to prove their merits as writers. The poetry of Rilke is used to show that only the brightest and best know Rilke. That may be true, but it's written in such as a way as to say "Look, we know Rilke. We're smart people."

I said this isn't that bad of a movie. It has its funny moments. And it captures the awkward ecstasy of the early stages of relationships well. I just wish it didn't feel like such Lesploitation.