Product Details

• Actors: Jennifer Westfeldt, Heather Juergensen
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• DVD Release Date: September 17, 2002
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (164 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00003CYJ4
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,440 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #82 in Movies & TV > DVD > Gay & Lesbian
• Learn more about "Kissing Jessica Stein" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Blessed by casual charm and sophisticated wit, Kissing Jessica Stein does for same-sex romance what Annie Hall did for straight neurotics. The influence of Woody Allen is keenly felt on this resourceful New York comedy (expanded from an off-Broadway play), especially when cowriter and costar Jennifer Westfeldt channels Diane Keaton's "la-di-da" nervousness as Jessica Stein, a romantically frustrated heterosexual copyeditor who impulsively answers a personal ad from a bisexual woman. Helen (cowriter Heather Juergensen) is as relaxed about lesbian love as Jessica is anxious, but they click as lovers, and so does the movie's delightful exploration of their budding relationship, which is further complicated by Jessica's yenta-like mother (Tovah Feldshuh) and a former boyfriend (Scott Cohen) who's now Jessica's boss. While acknowledging the serious repercussions of Jessica's bisexual flirtation, Kissing Jessica Stein takes its characters on a smart, compassionate journey of self-discovery that's as truthfully observant as it is gently entertaining. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

Sex and the single girl gets a fresh new spin in this "very funny movie"! (Joel Siegel, Good morning America) Fed up with her fruitless search for "Mr. Right" and tired of blind dates from hell, attractive journalist Jessica Stein whimsically responds to a classified ad - from Helen! Making and breaking new rules of dating as they go, the two women muddle through an earnest but hilarious courtship that blurs the lines between friendship and romantic love in this "smashing romantic comedy" (Rolling Stone)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

83 of 88 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Pucker up for "Jessica"! April 16, 2002

By Michael J. Mazza HALL OF FAME

"Kissing Jessica Stein," directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld, tells the story of a young, single, Jewish professional woman in New York City (the Jessica of the title, played by Jennifer Westfeldt). She's fed up with men after a series of bad experiences. Intrigued by a "woman-seeks-woman" personal ad, Jessic decides to give lesbianism a try. The object of her often clumsy affection is Helen (Heather Juergensen), a sexy art gallery manager.

This movie hooked me from its outrageous opening scene, in which Jessica, her mother, and her grandmother bicker and gossip about men during a Day of Atonement service. "Jessica" is a wonderfully funny and sweet film, filled with witty dialogue and some genuinely touching moments. The ensemble cast is superb. Westfeldt and Juergensen shine in the lead roles. Westfeldt, who looks remarkably like Lisa Kudrow, is reminiscent of a young female Woody Allen in this quirky, neurotic role. Juergensen brings an irreverent sensuality to her role. The two are delicious together. Although the whole supporting cast is great, I was particularly moved by Tovah Feldshuh as Jessica's loving mother.

I'm sure people will be tempted to pigeonhole "Jessica" as a "lesbian" movie, a "New York" movie, and/or a "Jewish" movie. It's certainly all of these, but its charm and universality also transcend all categories. It's about love, family ties, friendship, self-knowledge, and other issues that are relevant to everybody. And the film is populated with a wonderful group of characters -- male and female, Jewish and gentile, straight, gay, and "bi-curious" -- who are treated with affection and respect by the filmmakers. My advice: whatever your own preferences, prepare to kiss "Jessica" and love it.

45 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I adored this hilarious and touching film! April 14, 2004

By Debbie Lee Wesselmann TOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

I absolutely adored this film - for its real life messiness, for its honest performances, for the eye it turns toward the unexpected nature of life and love. When mousy, perfectionist copyeditor Jessica (Jennifer Westfeldt) answers a personal ad for "women seeking women" on a whim - she is, and always has been, heterosexual - she meets Helen (Heather Juergenson), a sexy, confident bisexual who works in an art gallery. The two women click on a deep soul-mate level. As Jessica begins to find the happiness that has eluded her for so long, her high spirits are contagious - except to dark but lovable Josh (Scott Cohen), who is perplexed by his own feelings for the newly liberated, but still closeted, Jessica. Westfeldt and Juergenson, who also co-wrote the screenplay, provide so much depth to their characterizations and situations that the viewer must wrestle with his own expectations. Jessica's awkward and sometimes outrageously funny exploration of what it means to love another woman never takes the easy way out.

The chemistry between Westfeldt and Juergenson is so phenomenal that even the most prudish viewer will want them to find happiness together. Tovah Feldshuh plays Jessica's mother with energy and deep sensitivity; her powerful performance in one scene provides the pivot upon which the entire film turns. And how can one not like angst-filled, love-stricken Josh the way Cohen plays him? Even the supporting actors turn in memorable performances.

"Kissing Jessica Stein" is an off-beat romantic comedy that has far more hilarity than its more tired and traditional siblings. The story unfolds with a naturalness that deserves to be admired. The views of New York from Hoboken, as well as shots of Hoboken itself, provide an excellent backdrop to a story that blends progressive ideas with the old-fashioned, just as Hoboken itself does.

I loved it.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars refreshing March 15, 2005

By EriKa

Format:DVD

On a whim, while fed up with the same old nonsense she encounters with men, Jessica decides to answer a woman-seeks-woman personal ad and meets Heather, a woman to whom, to her surprise, she finds herself drawn and attracted. Despite Jessica's hitherto heterosexual leanings, she finds herself becoming more involved with Heather and enjoying it. Heather is a very different person from Jessica, open, friendly, outgoing, not uptight, and these qualities appeal to Jessica, it seems. The development of their relationship together is complex, complicated and intelligently portrayed for the most part, while Jessica clearly feels a lot for Heather but at first finds it hard to accept that this is her life, her lifestyle and her relationship. Eventually the two live together and enjoy a relatively happy relationship, although it turns platonic. Despite the fact that the relationship ends, Jessica's life is changed and it was a life affirming relationship for her, but ultimately not what she was looking for. Therein lies the draw and power of this story; two people work hard to give each other a shot, like people should in any kind of relationship, and when they split, they take away a feeling of being richer for the experience rather than bitterness that accompanies the end of many relationships. That, if nothing else, is refreshing.