Jennifer Aniston stars in what could be a loose sequel to her film 'The Good Girl,' in which she played a woman whose marriage was dissolving and her life was beginning to plateau. Like that film, 'Cake' picks up with Claire, this disturbed woman who has pill bottles hidden throughout her house and is distanced from everyone except her maid, Silvana (Adriana Barraza). We are not sure why she has such a nice house nor why she is so promiscuous, but that adds to the allure of her character.
The film has a few storylines, and perhaps some of the problems with the movie stem from these divides. We see Claire by herself; uncomfortable and more often than not, reclined. We see Claire with her maid, a Mexican woman who finds little merit in her boss's actions and yet finds deep sympathy to continue working for and protect her. We see Claire have fantasies about Nina, the woman who killed herself, visiting her in her sleep and working out some of her more deep-rooted emotional issues. Lastly, we see Claire as she meets and gets to know Nina's widower, Roy, and their son.
The story is entirely centered around this woman, and the film's intentions are good. Tonally, the audience could become lost, as we have scene after scene of abrupt 'visits' by Nina. Of course Claire is dreaming it, but how lazy does a screenwriter get to resort to a ghost to hit crucial plot points and character changes?
If nothing else, see this movie for our two female performances. Jennifer Aniston has never been better - a full-bodied acting job that slowly builds to a crescendo that is both powerful and true. From mannerisms to emotional content, Aniston is a breakaway star that was perhaps robbed of an Oscar nomination from actresses who gave more 'expected' performances (who? I shall not say...). Adriana Barraza ('Babel') is absolutely genius in a supporting performance that hits it out of the ballpark and perfectly compliments her costar. The chemistry these two have is beautiful, and their interactions are what made the movie watchable.
Looking at the overarching story of 'Cake,' there is not a lot of originality to be found, and in fact the movie searches for inspiration and so often comes up flat. That's not to say it's bad, but that's not to say it's amazing, either. For someone who has dealt with more drastic losses in their life, this film seems like it could ring true. For those who have faced addictions in the face and attempted to quit, then perhaps there is something to be found. To each their own, I suppose. Maybe I was just hoping for vanilla cake, and the movie turned out to be chocolate...
(Awards potential: Best Actress (Aniston), Best Supporting Actress (Barraza)
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