Rating: 
Summary: Funny, sexy, and Cute
Review: You never know what to expect of a movie about women and sex, but this one was a hoot. The actresses were pretty, sensual and sexy. The kissing scenes were hysterical. This movie has something for everyone: straights, lesbians, bi-sexuals, Jews and people from Scarsdale. If you fit one of these categories, it's for you. It shows us that you can never know where love can come from nor what form it might take. There is but one thing to hold dear: to thine own self, be true; ok, maybe two: don't take yourself too seriously.
Rating: 
Summary: Remember what this isn't!
Review: When you see this movie, you should remember that it was written and performed by two straight women. This movie is a straight romantic comedy, not a lesbian farce, as some have claimed. It is a romantic comedy that uses the device of homosexuality to be, perhaps, a little more thoughtful about some of the issues at stake than most are. The characters in the film are sort of plausible, but the coherence of the story is not. (not atypical for a romantic comedy) The "more sexual" character, Helen, starts sleeping with women because she is curious, NOT BECAUSE SHE'S ATTRACTED TO WOMEN. And keeps doing it because of the quality of the sex. The more "intellectual" and "emotional" (also neurotic and out-of-touch with herself) character decides to "go back" to men and learns that the emotional connection doesn't need to be perfect. After all, the only perfect emotional connection can be with a woman, but the sex squicks her. The entire movie has no discussion of women attracted to women. Only how enjoyable sex is. That strikes me as very, very odd. These charicatures are a little unfortunate. There's nothing wrong with them, but the director could have done more work to make them dominate the movie so much. all in all, this is a blast to see. Funny, etc. I just started to like it the more I thought about it.
Rating:
Summary: How Perfect Can a Movie Be?
Review: ... I watched this ... not really knowing the premise of it. It wasn't long before I was chuckling/laughing during the film. Very funny and sweet. The scene b/w mother and daughter was especially touching. Some things you just can't hide from a mom... Highly recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: Another One Bites The Dust
Review: I saw this movie at an Outfest screening. Luckily my friend got the tickets and I didn't have to waste my money. This movie was another ... lesbian movie disappointment. I must say that I loved this movie at first. I thought that it was excellent... until about the last 5 to 10 minutes of the movie. The ending ruined the entire movie. Why is it that noone seems to be able to make even one lesbian movie where it ends happily?! If it weren't for the ending I would have gone to see this movie again and bought the DVD when it came out. However, because of the ending I never want to watch this movie again. It enraged me so much that I have been angry about it for the past 3 days! Hopefully now that I've vented I will get over it. If you are looking for a good lesbian movie, skip this one. If you watch the movie right until the end of the brother's wedding and then leave immediately, you will love it. Trust me, the ending ruins what could have been a wonderful movie.
Rating:
Summary: Loved the movie, despised the ending
Review: "Kissing Jessica Stein" is one of the best movies I've ever seen, and contains perhaps the most touching, heartfelt, and believable romances in modern film. Frustrated single girl Jessica Stein decides to try something different (to put it mildly) and answer a lesbian personal ad in the paper; never did she expect to meet Helen. The two lead actresses are also the writers and producers of the is fine movie, and they are FANTASTIC. Westfeldt (Jessica) and Juergensen (Helen) are both radiant and adorable, and share rare, utterly convincing chemistry. The movie is hilarious, wildly romantic, touching, and poignant, all blended into one bittersweet milkshake. Jessica and Helen just make the most adorable and gorgeous couple ever. It's difficult to choose a favourite, since both girls are so beautiful and likeable. Women and romantic straight men should greatly enjoy this movie. And special mention must go to Tovah Feldshuh, who played Jessica's mother and was in the most heartwrenching and touching scene in the movie. You'll know what I'm talking about when you go see it. That said, I found the ending greatly unappealing. I felt like cheated by the ending, like a cop-out. In the DVD commentary, Juergensen and Westfeldt defend their decision for the nature of the ending, and I can see where they're coming from, but personally I don't agree. I just feel that the tone and events of the ending are incongruous with evidence from the rest of the movie, and that it should not have occurred. It did not seem to me that this was the ending we were headed towards, and I felt the ending we did get was forced and artificial. My apologies for the vagueness, but I'm trying not to give too much away. Other than that, prepare for a rare treat of a movie.
Rating:
Summary: must see
Review: Whether you're staight or gay, this movie is awesome. And if you're homophobic, well, join the KKK or vote Republican ya bloody NAZI.
Rating: 
Summary: Cute and Sweet: OK to watch with your mother
Review: I have to admit I would never have rented this DVD had I not adored Westenfeld in Broadway's WONDERFUL TOWN. The film was listed in her bio. Still, I had it for awhile before I got around to watching it, sure it would be too racy for my father...
I ended up watching it with my mother and wondered why I waited so long! Jessica is a nice Jewish girl working as a copyeditor, who's gone on a series of hilariously bad dates. (anyone who's been on jdate or match can relate!) She answers an ad by Helen, who has put in a Rilke quote that Jessica had just admired, but is conflicted about it: in part she was provoked by Josh at a dinner party who told her she was too picky and closed-minded. Josh is both her boss, and an old college boyfriend.
Jessica and Helen click, but Jessica really is straight and it takes her a while to work up to being fully sexual with Helen. Nevertheless, she does fall in love, and a scene just before her brother's wedding, in which her mother (delightfully played by Tovah Feldshuh) lets on that she knows, is really touching. In general the portrayal of the Jewish family from Scarsdale is both funny and loving; no cheap, mean satire here.
But-- this is not really a coming out film, or a film whose treatise is that beneath every straight girl lies a bisexual girl waiting to be released. It's about love and acceptance both of other people's limits and of your own. For me, that was part of the movie's strength, but if you're looking for something about girls coming out, you'll probably be happier with "But I'm a cheerleader."
There's definitely some discussion of sexuality, but this is a cute comedy that you can watch with anybody. It's more Woody Allen than x-rated comic book, and maybe more of a real coming-of-age story than anything else.
Rating:
Summary: When it comes to love, Jessica just can't think straight...
Review: Jessica Stein (Jennifer Westfeldt) is a nice, young Jewish girl who cannot find herself a man. Based on the montage of some of the worst (and funniest) first dates in history, a reasonable course of action would be for Jessica to just stop looking. However, as Woody Allen observed so long ago the heart is a resilient little muscle, so Jessica answers a "women seeking women" ad placed by Helen Cooper (Heather Juergensen), who is bisexual. But since Helen is straight this would actually give them something in common to talk about, namely men, except that Helen has a lot more success with men, at least in terms of sex.
As you watch "Kissing Jessica Stein" it becomes clear that both women are looking for love rather than sex, which is perfect because this film is not about sex, and those who are looking for really hot lesbian sex scenes should just go rent "Mulholland Drive." The question here is not just whether the girl will get the girl, but what they are going to do when that finally happens. Then there is Josh Myers (Scott Cohen), Jessica's college boy friend, who now speaks of her with the same sort of practiced cynicism he reserves for the rest of the world. She disregards his jabs, and her disdain eventually inspires him to reconsider Jessica. However, we do not think as highly of Josh as he does himself, and there is something intrinsically sweet about the relationship between Jessica and Helen. Besides, the biggest obstacle to their happiness is not Josh, but Jessica herself, which remains both the character's curse and her charm.
Helen is not sure what to expect when Jessica shows up, but someone who is not only straight but who also brings a bunch of manuals and handbooks about lesbians would not have been a high expectation. Getting physical proves difficult because they are so many places where Jessica does not want to be touched, but their is an undeniable something between the two young women that serves as the basis for a relationship, with or without benefits. Once Helen becomes aware that Jessica loves her, she suddenly shows a patience that we would not have expected from her. Yet Helen is even more uncomfortable with the idea of her family and friends knowing about their relationship than she is with actual physical intimacy, and there is no doubt that things will come to a head between them.
Westfeldt and Juergensen first created and played the characters of Jessica and Helen for their stage play "Lipschtick," which certainly explains why they are both so totally comfortable in their roles. As writers they have created a script that is smart and witty, and one of the biggest surprises is that they do not give the film's best moment to themselves but to Tovah Feldshuh as Judy Stein, Jessica's mother. I have been a fan of Feldshuh's ever since she played Katharine Hepburn in "The Amazing Howard Hughes" and Helena Slomova in "Holocaust." Catching her as Danielle Melnick on "Law and Order" has always been a treat as well, so it was nice to see she was in this movie. But I was still blown away by her mother-daughter talk with Jessica, and the exquisitely powerful delivery of a single line. This is one of those memorable jewels of a moment in a movie where you know you will never forget it and just thinking about it invokes its power.
The DVD of "Kissing Jessica Stein" has two commentary tracks, the first with director Charles Herman-Wurmfeld and cinematographer Lawrence Sher, and the second with co-stars and co-writers Westfeldt and Juergensen. It will not surprise you that the latter is both more interesting and more insightful. There are a series of deleted scenes, including some choice outtakes from the bad date montage, and a standard behind the scenes featurette. "Kissing Jessica Stein" is not a great romantic comedy, but it is very good, which makes it stand out in that genre, especially with regards to same sex romantic comedies. Besides, any romance that treats both the heart and the head with equal regard is worth checking out.
Rating:
Summary: Caught me by surprise!
Review: I remember reading a positive review of this movie when it first came out few years ago, but I thought Jewish lesbian movie? Not for me. But then my husband saw a recommendation for it on netflix, so we tried it, and we both LOVED it! It is funny, incredibly cleverly written, and now I am buying a copy (and I don't buy many DVDs). If you watch it, be sure to check out the "Boat Scene" on the extra features - it is hilarious! I would never have thought that my favorite romantic comedy would involve a lesbian relationship, but hey, great writing is great writing, and this movie is chock-full of it! The actors are all wonderful in their parts, and all extremely likable... the pregnant friend is a total hoot!
Rating:
Summary: My Big Fat Jewish Lesbian Affair
Review: Kissing Jessica Stein is a sophisticated romantic comedy; think Sex and the City meets Woody Allen. Both straight and lesbian women will enjoy this charming, "ultimate chick flick," as my husband called it when he passed (quickly) through the room.
Jessica Stein is a copywriter/journalist for the Tribune in Manhattan. She is neurotic, picky, tense, and whiny - a female Woody Allen, except she is very lovely. She has had a string of bad luck meeting losers on dates. On a whim, Jessica answers a personal ad in the Village Voice. Although Jessica is straight, the ad was placed by a Woman seeking Woman.
She meets Helen, a beautiful assistant director of a contemporary art gallery. They strike up a special relationship. Is this just bi-curiousity, or is this something more? What will Jessica's wealthy Jewish family think of Helen? Kissing Jessica Stein has many laugh-out-loud moments provided by wonderful actors and a witty, understanding screenplay. The shots and scenes of Manhattan are absolutely to die for and will make anyone nostalgic for New York City who has not been there for a while.
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