Scene Selection — Geoff Carter: ‘Jessica Stein’ is smart, funny

Friday, Oct. 18, 2002 | 8:59 a.m.

Geoff Carter is a Seattle based free-lance film critic and entertainment writer. Reach him at carter@pre2k.com.

The DVD keepcase of "Kissing Jessica Stein" (Fox Home Entertainment, $29.98) advertises the film as some sort of "Sex and the City" knockoff. Star Jennifer Westfeldt is sitting in a leggy pose, and a tagline promises "A funny, smart, fresh look at sex and the single girl."

It's only half a lie: "Stein" is indeed funny, smart and a bit sexy, but not particularly fresh. You can take this girl home to mom.

Based on a popular play by Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen -- who also reprises her role for the film -- "Stein" follows the ups and downs of a budding lesbian relationship, from the moment Juergensen's sultry painter Helen snares Westfeldt's uptight title character with a personal ad quoting liberally from Rilke.

Now that Jessica Stein needed ensnaring. When we meet her, she's in dating hell; a montage of stereotypical bad dates, ranging from nebbish accountants to silk-shirted gigolos, makes you wonder why she hasn't pondered suicide prior to meeting Helen.

Jessica's mother Judy (Tovah Feldshuh) is overbearing, and her boss and would-be lover Josh (Scott Cohen) is too smart for his own good.

In other words, Jessica isn't pushed into a same-sex relationship. The story arranges it so that she has little choice, and does so in such a deft and decisive manner that it becomes a non-issue.

"Kissing Jessica Stein" is no different from "When Harry Met Sally" or "Serendipity," as it follows the same troubled, funny, lovesick path. That the lovers walking that path are both in heels is of little consequence.

What does matter is Juergensen's cool allure winning over Westfeldt's Woody Allen-like neuroses, and the truly funny episodes that arise from the clash.

"Lesbians accessorize; I didn't know this," Jessica says, showing Helen a catalog of sex toys.

"What do you do to be happy?" Helen asks.

"Nothing, I'm not," Jessica says, businesslike. Helen complains to her chorus of gay friends: "I take out an ad, and I get the Jewish Sandra Dee."

The dialogue crackles and snaps, even when the narrative feels forced, and the film is very well acted. Westfeldt and Juergensen cast the film mostly with friends and family, and the atmosphere is properly convivial. It's like going to a friend's house for dinner.

The DVD boasts a generous amount of collateral material, including two commentaries -- one by the director and producer, Charles Herman-Wurmfeld and Lawrence Sher, and the other by the writers/stars of the piece, which is the good one. Herman-Wurmfeld seems like a nice guy, but the ladies really directed this movie.

Westfeldt and Juergensen are whip-smart storytellers, and they talk fast through the entire film, in front of the camera and behind. They get you excited about the process of making movies, about the pleasures of a story well told. Unlike "Sex and the City," "Kissing Jessica Stein" is honest with itself and its audience, and you don't need sex to sell the truth -- just a wink and a grin.