CAKE
US, 2014, 102 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Barazza, Anna Kendrick, Sam Worthington, Mamie Gummer, Felicity Huffman, William H. Macy, Chris Messina, Lucy Punch, Britt Robertson.
Directed by Daniel Barnz.
Cake does not sound like a very promising title for a dramatic film. While Cake was nominated for Golden Globe awards, especially for the performance by Jennifer Aniston, her character is initially so alienating that it may not appeal to her many fans, from her comedies and her romantic comedies.
Nevertheless, the film is worth seeing in itself but, especially, for her performance. At the opening, she is a rather bitter woman, having gatherings and indulging in self-pity, sardonic remarks, even though she has a psychology background. It is revealed that she goes to a support group, especially for those suffering with chronic back pain which she has acquired in a car accident. She is disturbed when one of the members of the group, Anna Kendrick, commits suicide – and she decides to investigate the matter, going to visit the dead woman’s husband, Sam Worthington, developing a relationship with him and his child. There is a fine performance from Adriana Barazza, often seen as a Hispanic maid, who made an impact in Babel.
Towards the end, she gives some sympathy to an itinerant young woman who has a talent for making cake, Britt Robertson, but who challenges the woman to have another look at herself.
There is a very interesting supporting cast including husband and wife team, Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy.
The director, Daniel Barnes, made Phoebe in Wonderland, the contemporary youth variation on Beauty and the Beast, Beastly, and a strong education film, Won’t Back Down with Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis.
1. A strongly emotional story? Women’s stories? Men’s stories? Different interests and responses? Similar? Family, parenting, deaths, accidents, suicide, children, consequences?
2. The LA setting? Claire as lawyer, affluent, home, hospitals, group meetings, shopping, Tijuana, drugs, home and garden? Ordinary life? The musical score?
3. The title, audiences waiting for a meaning? The cakes, birthday, the boy, the runaway and her making the cake, and stealing Claire‘s money? Claire and the gift of the cake? The candles, wishes, sharing? A metaphor for the characters?
4. Jennifer Aniston as Claire, tough performance? The situation, the audience gradually discovering the background story? Nina and her suicide, the group discussing it, their feelings, the group gathering to cope with chronic pain, Nina and her presence, opting out, Claire invited to speak, anti the others feelings? Her sardonic description of Nina’s death, the freeway, falling, the truck, into Mexico, returning, held at the border for a week, the body being released?
5. The supervisor of the group, advising Claire to leave the group, to find another? Her wanting Nina’s husband’s address? Pressurising the leader, the threats to sue? The return, the leader wary of Claire, the gift of the big bottle of vodka?
6. The background to Claire’s life, competence as lawyer, the marriage, the separation? Audiences seeing her scars, the mention of the scars, extensive? Her water therapy and the discussions with the trainer, the threat to leave? Her being weary, excess drinking, the taking of the pills, hiding the behind the picture, the casual sex with the gardener? The style, blunt and imperious, but some kindness? The separation from Jason, at the Mexican border, phoning him, his not wanting to come while she was at home, a prudent decision and her comment? His helping her with the border problems, waiting with her, staying the night, supportive?
7. Silvana, the strong-minded maid, devoted yet exasperated, cooking, cleaning, driving Claire, Claire using the reclining seat? The family, her daughter’s comments? At Claire’s beck and call, arguments? Driving her to Tijuana, fears? The encounter with her old friends, insinuations about life in the US and their success in Mexico, the comments and criticisms? Claire’s criticising them and protecting Silvana? The chemist, the statue, the pills, the doctor’s reaction? Jason’s reaction, especially to the statue?
8. Nina, appearing initially in the photo, glimpses of her throughout the film, on top of the freeway, her fall? Appearing to Claire, talking to her, the different situations and Claire’s nightmares, places, telling Claire of, appearing at the restaurant, telling her she was selfish? Nina’s note to Roy, her chronic pain, asking forgiveness?
9. The visit to Roy, Claire’s pretence, that it was her home, going into the house, the bedroom, sad for Casey? Roy revealing that he had been warned? Wanting to see her reaction? Roy’s later visits, the meal, lying, the bonds, the outings with Casey? The cake, the birthday?
10. Roy, a strong character, his experience, the shock of Nina’s death, his anger and grief? Casey not able to stay at home? Not telling Claire immediately about the note? His dealing with his grief, the effect of Claire’s presence? No sexual relationship? The outings, the help, the restaurant, play, the birthday cake?
11. The man responsible for the accident and the door, his asking forgiveness, Claire’s hostile reaction, beating and kicking?
12. Jason, his providing the photo of Claire and the child, Claire crying, her grief, the reality of the accident in flashbacks, not taking the pills, admitting the truth about herself, the support of silver, sitting in the car – and the final face to camera?
13. The intimations of hope and redemption despite the grief, the harshness?
