Love on the Side
Love on the Side
R | 31 October 2004 (USA)
Love on the Side Trailers

Small town waitress Eve Stuckley is stuck. She has spent years pining for testosterone saturate local hunk Jeff Sweeney and yearns to escape from the Hog-Chow Diner she runs. Just when Eve finally decides to pursue her man, drop dead gorgeous Linda Avery blows into town on the hottest day of the year. The heat wave is nothing in comparison with the heat that's on as Jeff and Eve's dimwitted brother Chuck decide to face off for Linda's affections. It's a priceless contest: Linda wants Eve. Eve's confidante Alma Kerns is a sex expert trained by mortician beau Red Bishop. She encourages Eve to use Linda's interest in her to win Jeff's affection but the situation becomes even more complicated when Linda advises Jeff she prefers Eve. Now determined to "save" Eve, the narcissistically injured Jeff elicits Chuck's aid but Chuck, thinking it's part of the game, refuses to believe him. Ultimately, Jeff and Linda square off over Eve's future...

Reviews
Actuakers One of my all time favorites.
Dorathen Better Late Then Never
ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.
Leoni Haney Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.
SnoopyStyle 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.
Carladc16 Okay, the acting is slightly subpar -- but it is romantic, funny, sweet and sexy -- what's not to like?Set in a small town, there is a new girl in town who is shaking some things up.This is the kind of movie you could watch again and again -- better with a girlfriend that for date nights though -- unless your girlfriend is your date, then you'll love it!!Take a chance on this light-hearted feel-good movie, you won't regret it. Know that it is not an "artsy" critically acclaimed movie. Just good fun!
peter-1324 I chose this film from Blockbuster because it said on the label "a must-see for all fans of 'Bridget Jones Diary'". My 16 year old daughter had just seen Bridget Jones' diary and said she wanted a film just like that, so I chose this. I expected the worst and, for once, I was real pleasantly surprised. This film has a very intelligent script, that does a lovely job of playing with the stereotypes. It has the usual characters found in small-town America (actually Canada, this one): lovable waitress, football star jock, sweet young teenager with lifelong crush on said jock. But then it stirs these around in unexpected ways: the outsider who comes into break the small town harmony has, shall we say, rather surprising characteristics; lovable waitress is actually deeply in love with a mortuary worker; the football jock runs a motel, and so on. There is some lovely thoughtful direction here too: one shot, of the umbrellas at a funeral, is worthy of Chabrol, and the film is cunningly punctuated by black and white shots of the changing titles at the local movie house, just slightly edging the film to the surreal (and, there is a nice joke on pork belly investments too). It is superbly acted, in a relaxed and understated way. Overall, a modest, unassuming, but veritable delight, that kept us all giggling and intrigued throughout. It is worth far more than the 5.4 it currently rates. It puts to shame many a movie made with far more money and with big name stars (eg, the tiresome Bridget Jones films). Go find it and watch it.
bt67 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.