Cake Movie Blurb by Shale January 25, 2015 Today I went to see an indie film that likely won't be playing in wide release. I won't be saying too much about it because there are little bits of plot that need to unfold at their own time. This film didn't get too high a rating from the aggregate critics, a little less than half liked it - a little more than half for audiences but in the film fest circuit it was well received, especially for Jennifer Aniston who gave a great dramatic performance. Claire (Aniston) suffers from chronic pain and altho it is not explained, by the multiple scars on her face and surgical scars on her legs we assume it is from some devastating injury, likely a car crash. Like a lot of ppl wracked with constant pain she is not a happy camper and alienates her pain support group to the point of being asked to find another. Seems no one was amused at her comments about Nina Collins (Anna Kendrick) another member of the group who recently jumped off of an LA expressway bridge. Claire Living With Pain At home she is helped by her Mexican housekeeper Silvana (Adriana Barraza) who apparently is trying for sainthood. She is estranged from her husband Jason (Chris Messina) and has sneaky sexual trysts with the handyman. As with so many ppl in pain, she gets strung out on Percocet, which she often downs with wine. So, she does doctor shopping and manipulation and when that fails she gets Silvana to drive her to a Farmacia en Mexico. There are a few tense moments in this illegal activity. BTW, Adriana Barraza also got commended for her superb performance. Claire Buying Drugs in Mexico Claire dwells on Nina's suicide and you get the feeling that this is a common thot amongst ppl in constant pain. She actually finds a way to meet Nina's husband Roy (Sam Worthington), who with his grief and anger has a personality that is complimentary to Claire's. Much of the movie is their interaction. Claire & Roy Of course it won't be spoiling it to say that Claire has a problem with her pain, her overuse of drugs and other anger issues, which looked pretty convincing altho I am lucky to have never gone thru chronic pain. I don't even get headaches and my lower back pain is infrequent and usually hurts a week or so. I did once have a few months of a pinched nerve in my cervical spine, which hurt to move or breathe and woke me up whenever I shifted in bed at night. I got to the point of accepting that this was the way it was going to be forever when it finally ceased. (BTW, I did have a woman I knew come to my apartment for a tryst during that time and even with the pain it was enjoyable. I could relate to that scene with the handyman.) I really liked the movie, it kept my interest and the acting was great all around. If you are wondering about the title of this movie, there is actually a cake. Claire Brings Roy a Cake
