Cake – Review

There are few actresses in film that possess the same unique aptitude for comedy as Jennifer Aniston. However that comes with its own set of problems, because her entire career has been mostly confined to that genre, with few filmmakers taking a punt on the actress and allowing her the platform to express her dramatic potential. But now Daniel Barnz has done just that, and it’s proved to be inspired casting, as she impresses in this nuanced drama Cake, turning in a career best performance.

Aniston plays Claire, who struggles to overcome the suicide of her friend Nina (Anna Kendrick), from her local support group. Scarred, both physically and mentally, she lives alone, with only her loyal maid Silvana (Adriana Barraza) keeping her company, as she attempts to recover from her own personal tragedy. Until she meets Nina’s widowed husband Roy (Sam Worthington), as the pair find solace in one another’s company.

Cake offers a unique and thought-provoking take on the theme of grief, as we approach it from the perspective of somebody who is so cold, and seemingly so callous. Given Claire’s former issues herself – which we aren’t informed about early on, she has a barbed view on the world; and to tackle grief with such little compassion makes for a different kind of cinematic experience. Aniston carries the nuanced role well, and allows for the audience to always find it in themselves to like her, in spite of her countless flaws. This is of course helped along by her physical scarring, making her vulnerable and putting her, instantly, on the back foot.

To have a protagonist who wears an emotional armour, not letting anything get in, could have the potential to make for a disengaging and detached piece of cinema – but it’s to the film’s benefit in this instance, as it makes for a complex and delicate production. She’s no Rachel from Friends any more, that’s for sure.