Cake

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Barraza, Anna Kendrick, Sam Worthington, Mamie Gummer, Felicity Huffman, William H. Macy, Chris Messina, Britt Robertson
Directed by: Daniel Barnz
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
2014

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A depressed woman (Jennifer Aniston) in chronic pain is fascinated by the suicide of a woman (Anna Kendrick) in her support group. She befriends her friend's widower (Sam Worthington) as she struggles to cope with her present situation.

Review:

Tim: What I liked least about Cake was that it just felt like too much of an overt ploy for Oscars. You take a pretty actress, "ugly" her up and place her in the middle of an emotional drama, and you sit back and rack up the nominations. That attempt did land Jennifer Aniston a Golden Globe nomination, but the Academy Awards passed this by. While that aspect of the film was frustrating, this is still actually a fairly good movie. I don't think director Daniel Barnz did many favors for the film, but the cast is good enough to elevate this film above total disappointment.

Jennifer Aniston gives a very strong performance. Yes, the scars and the stripped down appearance helps some, but she acts well in this film. There were a few moments where she embraced her unlikeable character with a little too much smugness. It was almost like she was screaming, "Look at me! I'm so nice but I'm playing this really troubled character!" It made me want to roll my eyes. Despite those moments, her portrayal of a broken woman in chronic pain and suffering from depression is believable and strong. She's easily the biggest reason to see this movie.

The supporting cast was good. Adriana Barraza steals the show as Aniston's long-suffering maid. She was in Aniston's shadow, but managed to give an extremely strong performance and shine regardless. I really liked her here. Anna Kendrick was fine. She had a few great moments, but her presence always felt a little jarring (some of it intentional). Sam Worthington added in a nice performance as well. He didn't get a great character or a lot to do, but he made the most of it by infusing his character with a natural feel. It was like watching a real person. That's high praise for Worthington. Felicity Huffman did nothing for me, which is true in just about everything I've ever seen her in. It was fun seeing William H. Macy, although he had a completely pointless role. He has about one minute of screen time. Britt Robertson was a fun addition. She didn't come across as especially believable in her acting, but it was fun seeing her on screen.

What I liked most about this movie was its dark portrayal of grief and depression. Cake isn't a fun movie to watch. It is depressing. However, grief, loss, and pain are all aspects of the human condition and we do need movies that confront and examine those issues in a mature manner. This might be the best portrayal of people in chronic pain that I've ever seen in a film. The movie deserves great credit for shining a light on those people who suffer every day. I can't imagine how the constant suffering would impact you as a human being. Everything would be difficult. It's sad and difficult to watch, but important for us to remember. Those of us who aren't in pain every day take that for granted. I loved that this movie reminded me to be thankful for that.

I did enjoy Cake and would consider it a good movie. However, it's also one of those films you watch once, appreciate that you do, and never want to see it again.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Wristcutters: A Love Story, The Good Girl