Waitress: The Musical

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.

Based on an overrated indie movie, Waitress tells the story of a waitress and baker with dreams, a terrible husband, and an unexpected problem. The songs, by star Sara Bareilles, are unusual for a Broadway musical, because they're pretty much Sara Bareilles pop songs, but she's an excellent songwriter and her songs work for both herself and others.

This musical is beautifully staged. This is a filmed stage performance, and often those make you think, this would have been amazing in the theater, but this captures the staging so well that I'm not sure that it would have been better in a theater (probably not with the Broadways seats in my budget).

It's funny, it's touching, the songs and choreography are terrific, the performers are terrific (virtually every significant character gets their own big number), and well, it's just really, really good.

It's also apparently really, really obscure - there are only 6 user reviews as I write this - but it should be better known, so watch it if you have the chance.

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.

One of the best movie versions of a Broadway musical that I've seen in a long time. This musical closely follows the original movie and the music is glorious. I've seen it on stage and seeing it as a movie is just as fabulous as in person. I'm so thankful that they made a movie so that I can watch it any time I feel like. The cast works well together, the ensemble is great, and the band is great. If you're looking for a fun, adult themed musical that keeps your toes tapping, your fingers snapping, and your mouth laughing, I say watch this - it's SO worth it! And after you watch it, try not to buy the original Broadway cast soundtrack!