| Photos (see all 25 | slideshow) | Videos |
| Jennifer Westfeldt | ... | Jessica Stein | |
| Heather Juergensen | ... | Helen Cooper | |
| Scott Cohen | ... | Josh Myers | |
| Jackie Hoffman | ... | Joan | |
| Michael Mastro | ... | Martin | |
| Carson Elrod | ... | Sebastian | |
| David Aaron Baker | ... | Dan Stein | |
| Jon Hamm | ... | Charles | |
| Tovah Feldshuh | ... | Judy Stein | |
| Esther Wurmfeld | ... | Grandma Esther | |
| Hillel Friedman | ... | Rabbi | |
| Ben Feldman | ... | Himself | |
| Robert Ari | ... | Sidney Stein | |
| Jennifer Carta | ... | Rachel, Dan's Fiancee | |
| Ben Weber | ... | Larry | |
| Brian Stepanek | ... | Peter | |
| Nick Corley | ... | Howard | |
| John Cariani | ... | Chuck | |
| Christopher Berger | ... | Malaprops Guy (Hugh) | |
| Hayden Adams | ... | Weird Smooth Guy (Rod) | |
| Kevin Sussman | ... | Calculator Guy (Ned) | |
| Jim J. Bullock | ... | Not-Yet-Out Gay Guy (Craig) | |
| Alysia Reiner | ... | Schuller Gallery Artist | |
| Tibor Feldman | ... | Roland | |
| Michael Showalter | ... | Stephen | |
| Michael Ealy | ... | Greg | |
| Naomi Sablan | ... | Seductive Woman at Gallery | |
| Allen Fitzpatrick | ... | Matthew | |
| Julie Lauren | ... | Josh's Date | |
| Jimmy Palumbo | ... | Cheesy Pickup Guy #1 | |
| Thomas L. Bolster | ... | Cheesy Pickup Guy #2 (as Thomas Bolster) | |
| Vinny Vella | ... | Cab Driver (as Vinnie Vella) | |
| Peter Hirsch | ... | Stanley | |
| Idina Menzel | ... | Bridesmaid | |
| Adele Reichman | ... | Grandma Interrogating Helen | |
| Amy Wilson | ... | Bookstore Saleswoman | |
| Ilana Levine | ... | Laurie, Helen's New Girlfriend |
Directed by | |||
| Charles Herman-Wurmfeld | |||
Writing credits(WGA) | ||
| Heather Juergensen | (written by) & | |
| Jennifer Westfeldt | (written by) | |
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 (as Eden H. Wurmfeld) | |
| Brad Zions | .... | producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Marcelo Zarvos | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Lawrence Sher | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| Kristy Jacobs Maslin | |||
| Greg Tillman | (as Gregory Tillman) | ||
Casting by | |||
| Susie Farris | |||
Production Design by | |||
| Charlotte Bourke | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| Tema Levine | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Melissa Bruning | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Loretta Alston | .... | assistant hair stylist | |
| Fiona Distefano | .... | assistant makeup artist | |
| Sheri Kornhaber | .... | key makeup artist | |
| Stephani Resnick | .... | key hair stylist | |
| Stephani Resnick | .... | makeup artist: Jennifer Westfeldt | |
Production Management | |||
| Naomi Sablan | .... | unit manager | |
| Heidi Tannenbaum | .... | production manager | |
Art Department | |||
| Larry Chen | .... | swing | |
| Jim Cook | .... | art assistant | |
| Joanna Da Toca | .... | artist: Schuller gallery work | |
| Joanna Da Toca | .... | assistant art director | |
| Natalie Dierckx | .... | art director: second unit | |
| Chloe Garcia-Roberts | .... | art assistant | |
| Mary Hawkins | .... | graphic designer | |
| Ariel Enriquez Saulog | .... | supervising graphic artist | |
| Nini Than | .... | prop master | |
| Anthony Titus | .... | paintings: Jessica | |
| David Tonn | .... | prop assistant | |
| Suzanne Wang | .... | off-set decorator | |
| Treva Wurmfeld | .... | first look show paintings | |
Sound Department | |||
| Gerald Donlan | .... | sound editor | |
| Robert Fernandez | .... | sound re-recording mixer | |
| Seth Granger | .... | boom operator | |
| Dan Korintus | .... | dialogue editor | |
| Angela Organ | .... | assistant sound editor | |
| Mike Poppleton | .... | assistant sound editor (as Michael G. Poppleton) | |
| Theresa Radka | .... | sound mixer | |
| Jacob Ribicoff | .... | supervising sound editor | |
| Griffin Richardson | .... | boom operator | |
| Alan B. Samuels | .... | sound: second unit (as Alan Samuels) | |
| Daniel Ward | .... | first assistant sound editor (as Dan Ward) | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| Ramon Ferro | .... | optical camera | |
| Louis Goold | .... | optical layout (as Lou Goold) | |
| Simon Lund | .... | optical layout | |
| Janos Pilenyi | .... | opticals supervisor | |
| Adam Wangerin | .... | optical camera | |
Casting Department | |||
| Byron Crystal | .... | background casting | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Jennifer Galvelis | .... | wardrobe supervisor | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Jason Ensler | .... | additional editor | |
| Danny Hack | .... | color timer | |
| Julie O'Grady | .... | negative cutter | |
| Tina Pacheco | .... | assistant editor | |
| Nate Taylor | .... | additional editor | |
| Nate Taylor | .... | assistant editor | |
| Douglas Weiner | .... | assistant editor (as Doug Weiner) | |
| Blaine Hope | .... | assistant editor (uncredited) | |
| Lori Machens | .... | post-production coordinator (uncredited) | |
| Alexander Serpico | .... | second assistant editor (uncredited) | |
Music Department | |||
| Matthew Abbott | .... | music supervisor | |
| Jim Black | .... | music supervisor | |
| David Cerrutti | .... | musician: viola | |
| Gilad | .... | musician: percussion | |
| Dorothy Lawson | .... | musician: cello | |
| Romero Lubambo | .... | musician: guitar | |
| Mary Rowell | .... | musician: violin | |
| Harry M. Woods | .... | composer: song "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" | |
| Marcelo Zarvos | .... | musician: piano | |
Thanks | |||
| Tom Bolster | .... | special thanks | |
| Christina Cabot | .... | special thanks | |
| Chip Cooper | .... | special thanks | |
| Ted Field | .... | special thanks | |
| Jon Hamm | .... | special thanks | |
| Alec Holland | .... | special thanks | |
| Erica Huggins | .... | special thanks | |
| Shirley Juergensen | .... | special thanks | |
| Scott Kroopf | .... | special thanks | |
| Julie Lauren | .... | special thanks | |
| Bill Nisselson | .... | thanks | |
| Connie Perelson | .... | special thanks | |
| Michael Perelson | .... | special thanks | |
| Elinor Reed | .... | special thanks | |
| Saul Rubinek | .... | special thanks | |
| George Sheanshang | .... | special thanks | |
| Daniel Sollinger | .... | special thanks | |
| Matthias Visser | .... | special thanks | |
| Hope Wurmfeld | .... | special thanks | |
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The mantra of the successful and single career woman in New York City, and undoubtedly elsewhere, seems to have evolved to "All the good men are either married or gay." But still, through singles ads and avocation-based meeting places and just hope they persevere. Few decide that answering an ad in The Village Voice placed by a lesbian or bisexual woman is an antidote to the scarce-available-man dilemma.
That's just what copy editor and hopeful painter "Jessica" (Jennifer Westfeldt) does in "Kissing Jessica Stein" leading to an awkward first encounter, then a close friendship and ultimately an intimate relationship with a stunning, smart and funny art gallery manager, "Helen" (Heather Jurgenson). The film tracks their relationships with each other and with the people in their lives - family, friends, co-workers.
The story could easily have sunk to the level of a zany, fluffy, sex comedy or, perhaps, strived to be a "message" drama. It does neither. What makes it wonderful is that all the characters have whole lives which they live in confusion and compassion, pathos and passion. Superficially, they are familiar Manhattan, affluent stereotypes. In reality, they have all the longings and frailties - and strengths - of people everywhere. The character development is real and affecting without being cloy, cynicism is at a minimum. Helen and Jessica haven't stepped out of a Woody Allen take on Manhattan life.
Is Jessica really coming out for life as a lesbian or is she trolling in unfamiliar waters out of desperation for a friendship that includes intimacy? Has Helen given up myriad lovers of both sexes to settle into a domesticated gay relationship? Are the answers there? Should they be?
If a Lifetime Achievement Oscar for portraying the Jewish mother-in-law is ever awarded Tovah Feldshuh will get it. In this film she hovers dangerously close to a familiar caricature while projecting a warmth and wisdom deeper than the conventional portrait of the hectoring, always worried Jewish mom. The opening scene at a Day of Atonement synagogue service is priceless.
"Kissing Jessica Stein" is an Indie production based on the two leading actresses' collaboration in writing "Lipstick," their 1997 play. These are two very smart and insightful women: I hope more comes from their fertile and caring understanding of human, not just female but human, needs.
This film is very New York with scenes from a number of neighborhoods. I have mixed feelings about the post-11 September premiere decision to delete shots of the World Trade Center and replace them with the midtown skyline. A reviewer noted that audiences at the premiere were distracted by the WTC-dominated panoramas.
In a largely full theater with a number of clearly lesbian couples along with many more single people and (probably) heterosexual couples it was really nice to be part of an audience that burst into frequent laughter not based on sexual orientation but rather together as people enjoying a really clever, funny-and-serious, good film.