Jessica Stein (Jennifer Westfeldt) is a fastidious, uptight, 28-year-old copy editor at a Manhattan publishing company. There is no sex in Jessica's city, but only an endless stream of substandard mating possibilities hoisted on Jessica by her mother. In an uncharacteristic rash moment Jessica answers a 'women seeking women' personals ad, not because she is intrigued by the woman's description, but because she quoted Rilke. Helen, the woman who placed the ad, is quite the opposite of the reserved, anal retentive Jessica. But as they say, opposites attract, and so begins the courtship of Jessica.
"Kissing Jessica Stein" is very New York, intellectual, and verbal. This is a comedy of manners, of conversations, of well tended, well turned phrases. Or so it attempts, and mostly succeeds. This is not your aw-shucks Meg Ryan/Sandra Bullock romantic comedy and is closer in style to Woody Allen. But it works, I enjoyed it, and if this is the type of movie you're in the mood for, it will work.
"Kissing Jessica Stein" is very New York, intellectual, and verbal. This is a comedy of manners, of conversations, of well tended, well turned phrases. Or so it attempts, and mostly succeeds. This is not your aw-shucks Meg Ryan/Sandra Bullock romantic comedy and is closer in style to Woody Allen. But it works, I enjoyed it, and if this is the type of movie you're in the mood for, it will work.