“Waitress” is funny in spots. An example of this is when Jenna’s (Keri Russell) doctor instructs her to abstain from certain foods and drinks during her pregnancy, including coffee. Later on he asks her to go out for some coffee, and she raises her voice and says, “You told me not to have any coffee!” The film manages to hit on some real-life serious issues, such as an abusive husband. Jenna is miserable in her marriage but she is afraid to split from the abusive spouse. Instead, she lands in an affair and becomes confused as things become more complicated.

She makes a fateful decision in the end and, to her credit, she discontinues the affair. However, there is excessive language in the film and that, along with a character who has no regrets about the indiscretion in his marriage, prevents us from awarding this one our Dove Seal.