GRADE: A

Amidst a boring world of movies that all seem to feel the same, one that deviates from the norm cracks like delightful thunder upon the screen. “Kissing Jessica Stein,” directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld, co-starring Jennifer Westfeldt (“Two Guys and a Pizza Place”) and Heather Juergensen (“The Afterlife of Grandpa”) is one such movie.

Jessica Stein (Westfeldt) is a neurotic newspaper copy editor in New York who is trying to find the perfect partner. With her best friend pregnant, her brother engaged and her mother setting her up with all the wrong guys, Jessica is wondering if she will spend the rest of her life alone, until an ad in the personals intrigues her.

There is one catch, however — the ad is in the “Women Seeking Women” section. Jessica answers the ad and meets Helen Cooper (Juergensen). After Helen surprises Jessica with a kiss, the two embark upon a relationship that tests the boundaries of erotic love and platonic friendship as both try to find out what it is they really want.

What makes “Kissing Jessica Stein” so endearing is its poignant portrayal of complex characters dealing with something that troubles us all — the pursuit of love. The movie not only stars, but also was co-written and co-produced by Westfeldt and Juergensen.

Their intimacy with the script shows through as both lay down dynamic performances. Westfeldt does a remarkable job illuminating the extent of Jessica’s neuroses. She wants a partner who is intelligent, funny and not too ugly, but her disastrous dates are only equipped with malapropisms, poor come-ons, and the ability to precisely separate the dinner bill down to the exact cent. She is an insomniac, has a panic-complex and is repressed sexually, which Westfeldt personifies well with her fidgety mannerisms and comical insecurity when it comes to her traditionally Jewish background.

Juergensen, who plays her lover, is equally satisfying. She coolly portrays Helen’s impulsiveness, daring and sexual allure with seductive facial expressions and exasperated body tension when Jessica won’t do anything more than kiss.

However, it isn’t the sexual comedy that reels your interest in with this film, it’s the situations that leave you baffled as to whether you should laugh or cry. When Helen first asks Jennifer what she does to be happy, Jennifer answers matter-of-factly, “I’m not.” Also, when Jessica finally overcomes her fear of the same-sex relationship intimacy, she still keeps it secret, remaining unable to even tell her therapist because it’s “too personal.”

Director Herman-Wurmfeld intelligently lets the finely crafted characters emerge through his use of long takes. Moreover, the rest of the cast does a phenomenal job with character support. Scott Cohen (“Jacob’s Ladder”) plays Josh Meyers, Jessica’s old boyfriend, and he’s the character at first that you love to hate. However, you begin to see his jealousy can be attributed to deeper feelings with which he is dealing inside himself, and you begin to sympathize. Tovah Feldshuh (“A Walk on the Moon”) plays Judy Stein, Jessica’s mother. Feldshuh is tremendous and acts with Westfeldt in one of the most heartfelt scenes you’ll have the pleasure of witnessing this year.

In the end, the story becomes more about finding out what you truly desire and want to be. If you want to see a movie that deservedly has won many awards at film festivals, go and see its beautiful complexity for yourself.