MovieChat Forums > The Cake Eaters (2009) Discussion > My review [contains spoilers]

My review [contains spoilers]

posted 15 years ago by band-geeks-anonymous
7 replies | jump to latest

This is one of the most beautiful character driven pieces I have ever seen. Incredibly simple and understated. Mary Stuart Masterson has blown me away with her first time directing skills. I am beyond in awe of her. The casting was spot on. The music was gorgeous. The acting superb. Special mentions to -

Bruce Dern [Easy]: the mans a legend, and doesn't fail to deliver in this one. He plays an externally strong man, who on the inside is cracking and falling to pieces. On top of this, he delivers the best line in the movie - 'What are we elephants?'

Miriam Shore [Stephanie]: this one sort of blew me out of the water. I had never heard of her before, and now I'll be sure to look her up. In her few scenes, she was able to captivate me and I really hurt for her character. She has eyes that speak miles.

Jayce Bartok [Guy]: His has some strange ability to combine all of his characters flaws, and still make you ache for him. The scene where he goes to the graveyard really got to me. It wasn't crazy or dramatic - but somehow, it just...worked.

Aaron Stanford [Beagle]: Beautifully awkward. He really carries the storyline, interwieving everything together in a simple and believable way. His facial expressions bring you straight into his inner most thoughts and feelings. The scene where he has just witnessed his father and Marg kissing is heartbreaking, as is the scene where he confronts his father about this. Simple. Raw. Realistic.

and of course Kristen Stewart [Georgia]: For those who have seen the movie, I'm hope you will agree with me in saying that this girl deserves all kinds of accolades for this performance. Within her first 5 seconds of screen time, I was already enamored by her. I could go on forever about her performance. The ways in which she must twist and contort her body, slur her speech and relax her eyes would be a struggle for an actor with 10 times the experience she has. But at a mere 15 years old, she was able to produce a performance more terribly grounded and convincing than I imagine most actors would ever be able to. The scene in which she yells as her mother saying "I'm the one who's dying" just broke my heart. I can't put her into words, so I'll steal her co-star Jesse L Martins - "Kristen Stewart is the *beep* She really is. She's the *beep*

I recommend this movie to everyone and anyone. Don't expect to be confronted with high intensity or special effects...just sit back and breath in "The Cake Eaters."

9/10

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] DarthSiGi 15 years ago

I believe Kristen Stewart was 16/17 in this film.

So many bad reviews about this film, so much upset over the ending.

I truly loved the film, saw it the day it was released on DVD, and haven't stopped thinking about it since. It touched my heart.

[–] mojoman3061 15 years ago

Watching Kristen Stewart in this, I got a sense of how physically exhausting it was for her character to live with her disease. Just to walk a few steps with those crutches took a lot out of her. I don't remember getting this with any other portrayal of a physically handicapped person.

[–] franceseca_orr 15 years ago

according to imdb.com the filming dates for the film are june - july 2006

so kristen had only been 16 for two months, having started preparation for the role at 15. it was all filmed within one month.

closer to 15 than 17.

*sorry i've an obsession with the ages of film related peeps.

[–] revengeofthefoo 15 years ago

I honestly expected a lot from this movie after reading reviews and the synopsis. I think this was one of the worst movies I've seen in a long time. I couldn't get around to appreciating it or saying anything good about it. I thought it was boring and lame, and usually my taste for movies is about ordinary things and real life. I thought it was a piece of s**t. Kristen Stewart was alright I guess, but she really doesn't blow my mind in any movie. I think her acting is forced and she results in looking stupid.

[–] ttrip-2 15 years ago

Like you I was taken with this movie from the git-go! The original score by Duncan Shiek. For such a small budget movie, what a cast. Parts really stick with you. The jerk at the swap meet- "How much for the porn?" Easy and Beagle to the rescue! Georgia to Beagle- "You can kiss me if you want to." Judd to Beagle as they're leaving on his Vespa-"Anything happens to that girl, I'll kill you! Beagle to Georgia- You want anything special for lunch? She replies,"You". But the scene that just dissolves me EVERY TIME I see it is Georgia riding with Beagle, her arms spread in the wind with The Wailin' Jennys "Begin" in the background. Absolutely heartbreaking! Timeless!