Reviewed by Kim Choe
New Zealand cinema audiences have had to wait a while for The Cake Eaters – it was released elsewhere in 2007. Thankfully, it’s worth the wait.
The Cake Eaters is the poignant story of two small-town youngsters, their families, and their lives – together and apart. Fifteen-year-old Georgia (deftly played by Kristen Stewart, pre-Twilight) suffers from Freidreich’s Ataxia, a debilitating and terminal neuro-muscular disease that has given her an adult-weary outlook on life, despite her mother’s constant over protectiveness.
When she begins to spend time with the introverted Beagle (Aaron Stanford), she causes everyone around her to rethink their own lives and relationships – most of which have been fraught with loss and disappointment.
Beagle is doing his best to help his father Easy (Bruce Dern) cope with the recent death of their mother and wife when his brother Guy (Jayce Bartok) returns home after a long absence. And while Georgia’s grandmother Marg (Elizabeth Ashley) bridges the divide between Georgia and her mother, she also reveals a deep rift between Beagle and Easy.
It is the film’s raw (indeed almost brutal) honesty that makes it so beautiful. Although it’s clear from the start that it won’t end with our two heroes riding off into the sunset, the story is told so beautifully. Seemingly routine acts like a trip to the hairdresser are given an understated significance. Although some of the narrative and visual devices aren’t particularly original, the film is saved from being too clichéd by its performances. The acting is simple, clean, and real – making it all the more heart wrenching, yet delightful.
It feels a little on the short side, with some of the storylines suffering as a result. But my empathy with the characters or understanding of the overall story was in no way diminished because of this.
The Cake Eaters is a welcome gem amongst all the big-ticket releases this holiday season.
Four stars
The Cake Eaters
:: Director: Mary Stuart Masterson
:: Starring: Kristen Stewart, Aaron Stanford, Bruce Dern, Elizabeth Ashley, Jayce Bartok, Melissa Leo
:: Running Time: 95 mins
:: Rating: M - Contains Offensive Language and Sexual References
:: Release Date: December 3, 2009
