Cake (Movie)

Title — Cake
Available on — Peacock, VUDU Free, Amazon Video, Vudu
Production Country — United Kingdom, Pakistan
Release Date — 2018
When their aging father’s illness reunites two sisters under one roof, new tensions arise between them as old wounds and hidden secrets surface.

🪶 Story & Synopsis

Cake Movie unfolds the poignant tale of Claire Bennett, portrayed by Jennifer Aniston, a former attorney grappling with the aftermath of a tragic car accident that claimed her son’s life and left her battling chronic pain. The narrative delves into Claire’s emotional journey as she navigates her pain and emotional turmoil, haunted by the suicide of Nina Collins, played by Anna Kendrick, a fellow member of her chronic pain support group.

Driven by a raw and acerbic demeanor, Claire’s character is deeply affected by Nina’s suicide, leading her to embark on a quest to understand the circumstances surrounding Nina’s tragic death. The storyline intricately weaves together Claire’s personal struggles with her quest for closure and understanding, as she immerses herself in Nina’s life, seeking solace and answers amidst her own pain.

The movie delves into Claire’s complex relationships, particularly her poignant bond with her Mexican housekeeper, Silvana, portrayed by Adriana Barraza. Through their interactions, the film explores themes of empathy, connection, and the healing power of human relationships in the face of adversity.

As the narrative unfolds, Claire’s journey of self-discovery and emotional healing takes center stage, culminating in a poignant moment at her son’s gravesite. In a symbolic gesture mirroring Nina’s actions, Claire places wind chimes over her son’s grave, signifying a poignant moment of closure and transformation.

The film’s denouement captures a pivotal moment of catharsis for Claire, as she experiences a transformative realization at her son’s gravesite. In a poignant act of defiance against her pain and emotional anguish, Claire musters the strength to pull the lever, adjusting her chair to an upright position, symbolizing a powerful metaphor for her journey towards healing and acceptance.

Through nuanced performances and a compelling narrative arc, “Cake” invites viewers to delve into the complexities of human emotions, resilience, and the transformative power of empathy and connection in the face of profound loss and pain. Aniston’s portrayal of Claire resonates with authenticity and emotional depth, drawing audiences into a poignant exploration of grief, healing, and the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

🧑 Cast & Crew

Aamina Sheikh, Sanam Saeed, Adnan Malik, Mohammad Ahmad, Beo Rana Zafar, Faris Khalid, Hira Hussain, Mikaal Zulfiqar

Actor Role
Jennifer Aniston Claire Bennett
Adriana Barraza Silvana
Anna Kendrick Nina Collins
Sam Worthington Roy Collins
Mamie Gummer Bonnie

💬 Reviews and feedback

Grab your popcorn and get ready for a slice of cinematic drama with the movie “Cake” starring Jennifer Aniston. Picture this: a film that’s like a layered cake, with each scene adding a new flavor to the story. However, just like an under-baked cake, this movie leaves you wanting more.

The storyline follows Claire Bennett (played by Aniston), a former attorney grappling with the aftermath of losing her son in a car accident and dealing with chronic pain. As she navigates through grief and pain, she forms an unlikely bond with Nina Collins (played by Anna Kendrick), who tragically commits suicide.

  • Plot and Themes: The movie delves deep into themes of loss, grief, chronic pain, and emotional healing. It paints a raw and realistic portrayal of depression and the struggles individuals face in coming to terms with tragic events.
  • Acting and Characters: Jennifer Aniston shines in her role as Claire Bennett, showcasing her dramatic range. Her performance captures the complexity of Claire’s emotions, making her character relatable despite her flaws.
  • Direction and Tone: The director skillfully navigates between moments of darkness and light-heartedness. However, the film occasionally veers towards a feel-good ending that feels slightly forced given the heavy subject matter.
  • Cinematography and Production Design: The cinematography beautifully captures the somber mood of the film, enhancing the emotional depth of each scene. The production design creates an immersive world that complements the characters’ journeys.

Binge-watching Tips: Dive into this movie with an open heart and prepare yourself for an emotional rollercoaster. Take breaks between intense scenes to fully absorb the impact of Claire’s story.

The movie “Cake” offers a bittersweet experience for viewers, much like taking a bite of an imperfectly baked dessert. While it falls short in some areas, particularly in delivering a cohesive narrative, it excels in portraying raw human emotions.

As you watch Claire’s journey unfold on screen, you’ll find yourself drawn into her world of pain and resilience. Despite its flaws, “Cake” leaves a lasting impression with its poignant performances and heartfelt moments.

So grab your tissues and brace yourself for an emotional ride as you witness Jennifer Aniston deliver a powerhouse performance in “Cake.” This film may not be perfect, but it certainly serves up a compelling story that lingers long after the credits roll.

Rating: 7/10

Pros Cons
Realistic portrayal of depression Not a great film overall
Groundbreaking performance by Jennifer Aniston Lacks depth and warmth
Touches upon heavy and tragic issues Too heavy for young teens and tweens
Strong, no-nonsense portrayal by Aniston Grasps for a feel-good ending
Accurate depiction of chronic pain Lacking in story development

Feedback

  • Cake (2014 film) - Wikipedia

    102 minutes Country United States Languages English

    Spanish

    Budget $7–10 million Box office $2.9 million

    Cakeis a 2014 American drama film directed by Daniel Barnz, written by Patrick Tobin, and starring Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Barraza, Felicity Huffman, William H. Macy, Anna Kendrick, and Sam Worthington. It debuted in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.

  • Cake (2014) - IMDb

    • SnoopyStyle
    • Jun 26, 2015
    • How long is Cake?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    • Release date
    • Country of origin
    • Official site
    • Languages
    • Also known as
      • Chiếc Bánh
    • Filming locations
    • Production companies
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    • Budget
      • $7,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,951,776
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $916,179
      • Jan 25, 2015
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,433,850
    • Runtime1 hour 42 minutes
    • Color
    • Sound mix
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1
  • Cake Official Trailer #1 (2014) - Jennifer Aniston, Anna Kendrick Movie ...

  • Cake (2014) - Plot - IMDb

    • The acerbic, hilarious Claire Bennett becomes fascinated by the suicide of a woman in her chronic pain support group. As she uncovers the details of Nina’s suicide and develops a poignant relationship with Nina’s husband, she also grapples with her own, very raw personal tragedy.
    • The acerbic, hilarious Claire Bennett becomes fascinated by the suicide of a woman in her chronic pain support group. As she uncovers the details of Nina’s suicide and develops a poignant relationship with Nina’s husband, she also grapples with her own, very raw personal tragedy.—Ben Barnz
    • Enduring a life of chronic and unimaginable pain, the former Los Angeles defense attorney, Claire Bennett, is now reduced to a pill-popping misanthrope–literally, a physically and mentally scarred being. Having lost her faith in humanity, Claire suddenly finds herself taking an interest in the tragic suicide case of the fellow support-group member, Nina, who summoned up the courage to put an end to her life. Now, feverish and recurrent hallucinations burden Claire’s already fragile existence, forcing her to strike an unlikely relationship with the deceased’s widowed husband, Roy. Could he be holding the key to pained Claire’s salvation?—Nick Riganas
    • The story centers on Claire Bennett (Jennifer Aniston) a former attorney, as she struggles to come to terms not only with the aftermath of the car accident that killed her son and left her partially disabled by chronic pain, but also with the suicide of Nina Collins (Anna Kendrick), a woman from her chronic pain support group. Claire is full of anger and is kicked off her support group due to her poor behavior. She is also separated from her husband Jason Bennett (Chris Messina). Claire uses the pool boy to “service” her sexual needs.As time flies by, with her marriage and life falling apart, she ends up buying drugs on the street to support her addiction. Claire starts visualizing Nina several times leading to short conversations. It has been 6 months since Claire is taking water therapy sessions with zero improvement, leading the doctors to believe that the problem is not physical. Since the therapy is not having any effect, Claire’s medicine prescriptions are cut off. After her session, Claire jumps into the pool with body weights, seemingly to kill herself. She stays on the bottom for a long time before rising to the surface.As the drug effects diminish, she returns to the present. Claire visits the spot where Nina jumped off the highway intersection to commit suicide. By blackmailing (by threatening to sue the county for discriminating against her) Annette (Felicity Huffman) from her ex-support group, she procures Nina’s address and befriends her husband Roy (Sam Worthington). Silvana (Adriana Barraza), Claire’s helper and driver is very loyal and dutiful. Since the accident, Claire dared not to sit up erect in her car, so Silvana drives her anywhere. Bonding over their loss and isolation, Claire and Roy go to Nina’s grave. A few nights later Claire surprises him at home but takes Nina’s leftover Percocet. Claire’s dreams of Nina continue.Claire has to travel to Mexico to get her painkillers as her doctor in the US won’t give her any. Claire and Roy start getting closer, but Claire pushes him away when he learns about her accident from Silvana and offers her sympathy. But then she is glad when Roy persists and even brings his son over to dinner with Claire. Seeing Roy’s son makes Claire confront the loss of her own son in the driving accident.The one day when Claire, Roy and his son are having lunch, a man named Leonard (William H. Macy) comes by to talk to Claire. It turns out that he was the driver of the car that Claire had the accident with. He wants to apologize to Claire, but Claire is incensed. She beats him as hard as she can and asks him to leave her property. She is so upset that she ODs on painkillers. Afterwards, she inadvertently overdoses on the pain medication. Taken to the hospital, she dreams of Nina presenting her with a birthday cake with six lit candles, explaining that she feels guilty about not being able to make a homemade birthday cake for her son.Claire is discharged from the hospital and struggles to remain drug free. She asks Silvana to drive her to the drive-in where she had her first date with Jason. Wandering away, she lies down on the nearby railroad tracks and hallucinates a conversation with Nina, who gets Claire to admit she was a good mother. Claire hears Silvana calling her and when she gets up, Nina vanishes. Silvana loudly criticizes Claire for abusing everyone and pushing away Jason, who is also suffering the loss of their son. She is interrupted when Claire notices the car has been stolen, forcing them to stay in a motel.The next day Becky (Britt Robertson), a girl on her way to Los Angeles, tries to steal Claire’s purse. Claire brings her home to make her a homemade cake. Silvana later wakes Claire when she sees Becky has in fact stolen the purse but has left a beautiful cake. Claire takes it to Roy for his son’s birthday, as a way of thanking Nina. She and Silvana go to visit her son’s grave, where Silvana hangs a wind chime in a nearby tree. On the ride home, Claire finally sits upright in the car.

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  • Cake - Apple TV

    Cake

    CAKE is based on a Black List script by Patrick Tobin. In her strongest and most challenging role to date, Jennifer Aniston stars as the acerbic and hilarious Claire Simmons, who becomes fascinated by the suicide of Nina (Anna Kendrick), a woman in her chronic pain support group. As she uncovers the details of Nina’s suicide and develops a poignant relationship with Nina’s husband (Sam Worthington), Claire also grapples with her own very raw personal tragedy.Starring Jennifer Aniston, Anna Kendrick, Sam WorthingtonDirector Daniel Barnz

⚠️ Explanation (Spoiler)

The movie “Cake” is a deeply emotional drama directed by Daniel Barnz and starring Jennifer Aniston in a remarkable performance. The story follows Claire Bennett, played by Aniston, a woman grappling with chronic pain and haunted by the suicide of her friend Nina, portrayed by Anna Kendrick. Claire’s journey is marked by her obsession with Nina’s death and her complex relationship with Nina’s husband, Roy, played by Sam Worthington.

Throughout the film, Claire struggles to cope with her own pain and loss while navigating feelings of guilt, anger, and sorrow. The narrative delves into the intricacies of human relationships, grief, and the quest for healing, offering viewers a poignant and introspective viewing experience.

In the concluding scenes of “Cake,” Claire attends a support group for chronic pain sufferers, marking a significant turning point in her healing process. Here, she opens up about her pain and begins to connect with others who share similar experiences. This moment symbolizes a breakthrough for Claire as she starts to let go of her isolation and finds solace in the camaraderie of the group.

The ending of the movie is both hopeful and open to interpretation, leaving room for viewers to reflect on their own emotions and experiences. Some may see Claire’s participation in the support group as a sign of healing and a step towards rebuilding her life, while others may view it as the beginning of a challenging journey towards recovery.

The open-ended nature of the conclusion mirrors the messy and non-linear aspects of real-life grief and healing processes. By not offering a neatly wrapped-up resolution, the film captures the complexities and setbacks that often accompany such emotional journeys, inviting viewers to connect with the characters on a deeper level.

Jennifer Aniston’s powerful portrayal of Claire adds depth and authenticity to the film’s ending, drawing audiences into the character’s emotional turmoil. Her nuanced performance brings Claire’s struggles to life, making her journey relatable and impactful for viewers.

In summary, the ending of “Cake” strikes a balance between offering a sense of hope and acknowledging the ongoing challenges of healing from grief and trauma. Jennifer Aniston’s exceptional acting, combined with the film’s open-ended conclusion, leaves a lasting impression on audiences and encourages introspection on personal experiences with loss and recovery.

👪 Parents Guide & Age Rating

TV-MA

Age Rating:

Cake is rated R for language, substance abuse, and brief sexuality. Therefore, it is not suitable for children under 17 without parental guidance.

Parental Guide:

Parents should be aware that Cake contains elements that may not be suitable for all audiences. Here is a breakdown of the content to consider:

  • Language: The movie contains strong language throughout, including profanity and derogatory terms.
  • Substance Abuse: There are scenes depicting substance abuse, including the misuse of prescription drugs.
  • Sexuality: Brief sexual content is present in the film.
  • Violence: While not a main focus, there are themes of suicide and personal tragedy that may be intense for some viewers.

Due to the mature themes and content, it is recommended that parents preview Cake before allowing their teenagers to watch it. Adult guidance and discussion may be necessary to contextualize the challenging topics presented in the movie.

📺 Streaming and where to watch

streaming service extra information
Peacock Currently you are able to watch ‘Cake’ streaming on Peacock.
VUDU Free You can watch ‘Cake’ for free with ads on VUDU Free.
Amazon Video, Vudu You can rent ‘Cake’ on Amazon Video, Vudu online.

❝ Quotes and Cult

  • I hate to break it you, but I don't believe in ghosts.
    Claire Bennett
  • That doesn't mean you're not a coward.
    Nina Collins
  • Tell me a story where everything works out in the end for the evil witch.
    Claire Bennett
  • I'm not a stalker, at least not in the traditional sense.

🤖Cake Reddit Talks

Cake (2014) is a drama film starring Jennifer Aniston as Claire Bennett, a woman struggling with chronic pain following a car accident that killed her son. The film also explores Claire’s fascination with the suicide of Nina Collins (Anna Kendrick), a woman from her chronic pain support group.

Chronic Pain

Claire’s chronic pain is a central theme throughout the film. She experiences both physical and emotional pain, and her struggles with these issues are portrayed in a realistic and unflinching manner. The film sheds light on the challenges faced by those living with chronic pain, and it raises awareness of this often-invisible condition.

Grief and Loss

Claire’s chronic pain is compounded by the grief she feels over the loss of her son. The film explores the complex emotions of grief and loss, and it shows how these emotions can manifest in different ways. Claire’s journey is a powerful reminder of the importance of seeking help and support when grieving a loved one.

Suicide

Nina’s suicide is a major turning point in the film. Claire becomes fixated on Nina’s death, and she begins to investigate the circumstances surrounding it. The film explores the taboo subject of suicide, and it raises important questions about the responsibility we have to those who are struggling.

Jennifer Aniston’s Performance

Jennifer Aniston gives a tour-de-force performance as Claire. She brings depth and nuance to the role, and she perfectly captures the character’s pain, grief, and resilience. Aniston’s performance is one of the main reasons why Cake is such a powerful and moving film.

Overall

Cake is a well-made and thought-provoking film that explores important issues such as chronic pain, grief, loss, and suicide. Jennifer Aniston gives an outstanding performance, and the film is sure to stay with you long after the credits roll.

Top discussions

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What is the storyline behind the movie Cake?

The story centers on Claire Bennett (Jennifer Aniston), a former attorney, as she struggles to come to terms not only with the aftermath of the car accident that killed her son and left her partially disabled by chronic pain, but also with the suicide of Nina Collins (Anna Kendrick), a woman from her chronic pain support group.

What is the point of Cake movie?

This film tells the story of a woman with chronic pain, who becomes fixated with the suicide of a member in her support group.

What happened at the end of Cake?

Claire is driven to her son’s gravesite by Silvana. She puts wind chimes over his grave, just like Roy did at Nina’s. Back in the car, Claire has a sudden urge to try to sit upright. She changes her mind at first but as the film concludes, she pulls the lever and the chair returns to sitting position.

Why is the movie Cake rated R?

Parents need to know that Cake is a grim drama that deals with incredibly tragic issues, including chronic pain, a fatal car accident, and the suicide of a young mother. It’s likely too heavy for young teens and tweens.

Why does Claire have chronic pain in Cake?

In the 2014 movie Cake, Jennifer Aniston’s character has chronic pain due to a car accident and has been diagnosed with chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

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