Directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
Written by Heather Juergensen & Jennifer Westfeldt

Jennifer Westfeldt .... Jessica Stein
Tovah Feldshuh .... Judy Stein
Heather Juergensen .... Helen Cooper
Esther Wurmfeld .... Grandma Esther
Hillel Friedman .... Rabbi
Ben Feldman .... Himself
Robert Ari .... Sidney
Stein David
Aaron Baker .... Dan Stein
Jennifer Carta .... Rachel, Dan's Fiancee
Ben Weber .... Larry
Brian Stepanek .... Peter
Nick Corley .... Howard
Jackie Hoffman .... Joan
John Cariani .... Chuck
Scott Cohen .... Josh Myers
Christopher Berger .... Malaprops Guy
Hayden Adams .... Weird Smooth Guy
Kevin Sussman .... Calculator Guy
JM J. Bullock .... Not-Yet-Out Gay Guy
Alysia Reiner .... Schuller Gallery Artist
Carson Elrod .... Sebastian
Michael Mastro .... Martin

Produced by
Eduardo Braniff .... associate producer
Steven Firestone .... associate producer
Matt Janes .... line producer
Heather Juergensen .... co-producer
Doug Liman .... associate producer
Mark Pincus .... associate producer
Kaye Popofsky .... associate producer
Jennifer Westfeldt .... co-producer
Eden Wurmfeld .... producer
Brad Zions .... producer

Original music by Marcelo Zarvos
Cinematography by Lawrence Sher
Film Editing by Kristy Jacobs Maslin and Greg Tillman

MPAA: Rated R for sexual content and language.
If you are one of those offended by same sex relationships, you don?t want to see Kissing Jessica Stein; you may not even want to read this review.
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM, and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG

Clip:
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Kissing Jessica Stein
Various Artists - Soundtrack - 2002

KISSING JESSICA STEIN is a fresh take on the subject of sex and the single girl. When we first meet Jessica ? a sensitive but neurotic New York journalist ? she is at the end of her emotional rope. Her brother?s engaged, her best friend?s pregnant, she hasn?t dated in a year, and she can?t sleep.

After an optimistic but nightmarish dating spree, she happens upon an intriguing personal ad, whose only drawback is that it?s in the ?women seeking women? section. On a daring whim, she decides to answer it. She meets funky downtown hipster Helen Cooper for drinks and, to her surprise, they click instantly. Their evening of banter, connection and heated debate culminates in a kiss that confounds and intrigues even the reluctant Jessica.

With conventional gender roles absent, the two women proceed to muddle through an earnest, but hilarious courtship, making up the rules as they go along. KISSING JESSICA STEIN is a modern romantic comedy that breaks all the rules -- it blurs the lines between friendship and romantic love, and finds the funny, surprising and ultimately poignant overlap between the two.

REVIEW BY DARREL MANSON
Pastor, Artesia Christian Church, Artesia, CA
http://netministries.org/see/churches/ch01198

Darrel has an incredible love and interest in the cinematic arts. His reviews usually include independent and significantly important film. Some of his reviews: Chocolat, Dancer in the Dark, Faithless, Finding Forrester, Memento, O Brother Where art Thou, Pollock, Quills, Shadow of a Vampire, Widow of St Pierre, Jump Tomorrow, Tortilla Soup, Go Tiger, Life As a House, The Business of Strangers, The Man Who Wasn't There, A Beautiful Mind, In the Bedroom, Shipping News, Amelie, I Am Sam, Rollerball, Monster's Ball, Iris, Kissing Jessica Stein

Warning: If you are one of those offended by same sex relationships, you don?t want to see Kissing Jessica Stein; you may not even want to read this review.

It's not always easy to find love. Jessica Stein has been looking for quite a while. And there's nobody who is up to her standards. Certainly, we're shown some of the losers that she tries dating, but it's pointed out by a friend that much of her problem is in herself.

And then there is Helen Cooper. She has lots of attention and companions, but none who are really there for her anymore than she is there for them.

Jessica and Helen come together out of their searching, and we get to watch as the chance of love plays out.

It should be noted that this is not a movie about two lesbians. Helen may well be bisexual, but Jessica is definitely straight. She wants to have a sexual relationship with Helen, but it is always a struggle. Some mention is made in the film that one just can't choose to be gay or not. And as much as Jessica would like it to happen in her relationship with Helen, we can see through the film that this really isn't her sexual orientation.

But the real struggle in their relationship isn't limited to the sexual part. Helen and Jessica each have needs and gifts. And just like in a heterosexual relationship, finding the ways for those needs and gifts to mesh is more important than what goes on in bed.

Early in their relationship we get an idea of their differences as they talk about lipstick. Helen blends. She uses three different lipsticks at the same time. Jessica just has her basic, easy to put on in a hurry, color. We also learn that Helen also has three men in her life, one for when she wants to talk, one for when she wants fun, and one for when she wants sex. She has blended her life; she is looking for someone else to fill in some niche in her life. Jessica, on the other hand, is looking for the one right shade of lipstick, or more precisely, the one right person.

Jessica is also very secretive -- not only about the relationship -- but also with everything in her life. Once asked by Helen what she told her therapist about their relationship, Jessica responds, "I couldn't tell him about this. This is personal." She keeps her relationship with Helen hidden from friends and family. She was once a budding artist, but keeps her paintings hidden from Helen, who works at a gallery.

In the end, Jessica and Helen do find in each other part of what they need, but not everything. In this, it is just like many other relationships that burn for a while, but soon die out.

Many of the dynamics of the story could just as easily have involved a straight couple. And that may be why the film can be understood by a general audience. They live out common experience. We see ourselves in them even without having to identify with their sexual orientations. And that can be valuable because it allows us to understand that gays and lesbians really are like us. Their story is also our story. They have the same struggles and pains and joys as heterosexual people. Whether gay or straight, people need love and often desperately seek out the person or persons who can in some way complete them. Of course, often we learn that another person cannot complete us until we complete ourselves in some ways.

Kissing Jessica Stein allows us to watch not only the relationship grow and change, but also we see Jessica grow into something new as well. And as she grows, she touches the lives of others around her who also grow. And in the end, there is still hope that Jessica will indeed find that one perfect person to complete her life, now that she is ready for it.

RELATIONSHIP
"Kissing Jessica Stein" speaks to the human need for relationship.
We were all created for relationship.
We all need good solid relationships. We long for them.
And, the ultimate good relationship is with God.

God is he without whom one cannot live.
--LEO TOLSTOY (1828?1910)

My child, I have need of nothing. I desire only your love. Give me this first and whatever service may follow, you will then do with light feet and a heart set free.
--FRANCES J. ROBERTS

Hollywood has not yet recognized what truly tingles the spine, buckles the knees, quakes the heart, and turns bones into jelly. To meet God is a terrifying adventure.
--TERRY LINDVALL

In commanding us to glorify him, God is inviting us to enjoy him.
--C. S. LEWIS (1898?1963)

When he says to your disturbed, distracted, restless soul or mind, ?Come unto me,? he is saying, come out of the strife and doubt and struggle of what is at the moment where you stand, into that which was and is and is to be?the eternal, the essential, the absolute.
--PHILLIPS BROOKS (1835?1893)

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