Love on the Side (2004)

Eve Stuckley (Marla Sokoloff) is a waitress and the owner of a diner in Squamish. She pines for Jeff Sweeney (Barry Watson) but he doesn't notice. Alma (Jennifer Tilly) is a fellow waitress who is dating funeral director Red (Dave Thomas). Just when Eve is about to do something about Jeff, outsider Linda Avery (Monika Schnarre) walks into the diner catching Jeff's attention. Linda is staying at the Sweeney Inn. She shocks Eve by making out with her. The bisexual Linda sets off competing love interests. Jeff and Eve's brother Chuck battle for her attention.Sokoloff is adorable. The only thing is that she's can't sell being fat. Linda could have been a very limited character but she turns out to be quite interesting. On the hand, Jeff is much less interesting. I can live with a wacky Jennifer Tilly. Pairing her up with a wacky Dave Thomas is a little too much. It's a low budget Canadian rom-com but it does take a few compelling turns. It's not top-level production but it's worth a look.

No matter what film Jennifer Tilly is in I absolutely love her. She is not only original she is gorgeous and almost always she has me on the floor laughing my head off - and here she is at her best. She steals the film hands down and the rest of the cast as good as they are simply do not add up to the talent Jennifer Tilly has in her little finger. She is a treasure - a perfect example of why film remains relevant in a world where so much seems increasingly irrelevant. As far as the film is concerned I just thought of it as a showcase for Jennifer Tilly. The storyline was so fragmented and convoluted that my head was spinning - but it just made me all the more anxious for Jennifer Tilly's next scene and fortunately they always came when I needed them.

Eve is a waitress in a small town. She lives at home with her brother and doesn't have the money to shake things up. Despite being a talented artist and a quietly beautiful and thoughtful girl, a gentleman named Jeff does not give her the time of day. That is, until the day Linda shows up. She is a tall, gorgeous female businesswoman who makes all of the local gentlemen pant. Including Jeff. But, Linda is not interested in the male gender, she has her eye on Eve. Suddenly, in a strange twist of fate, Jeff finds himself looking at Evie in a different way. Is it possible for Eve to acquire what she has most wanted in life? This is a movie that has no tendencies to be sensational but which still may offend those looking for a nice little love story. The lesbian angle is hidden somewhere in the fine print of the box's cover and one may pick it up, thinking it is just a typical love triangle. But, its not. That said, it is truly has a sweet tale to tell, without shoving anyone's preferences in the viewer's face. The actors are all give nice performances, the script is thoughtful and original, and the costumes/settings are quite appealing. Jennifer Tilly and Dave Thomas are on hand to make things lively and funny, even as the story takes a serious turn. If you would be uncomfortable watching a movie with a few homosexual situations, you should avoid this film, yes. But, at its center, this is truly a love story between a man and a woman. For those who are always clamoring for more love dramas, this is an optional choice for an evening, with much to offer its audience.

I just saw this at the Vancouver International Film Festival. It was refreshing to see a movie filmed in Canada that was actually set in Canada -- in Squamish no less. However, the movie was nothing to write home about. I've seen five movies so far in the festival and this was the least original. It was entertaining and had a few twists on the usual small-town romantic comedy, but in the end was somewhat formulaic.The movie centres around Eve, a waitress in a small-town diner who has pined for the local football star for years while he barely notices her. She worries about her weight and wonders if anyone will ever really love her. Enter Linda, a leggy blonde from the big city who puts things in motion.