Anna's Blog | Everyday Moments

'The Cake Eaters' is a quirky, small town, ensemble drama that explores the lives of two interconnected families coming to terms with love in the face of loss. Living in rural America, The Kimbrough family is a normally odd bunch; Easy, the patriarch and local butcher, is grieving over the recent loss of his wife, Ceci, while hiding a secret ongoing affair for years; Beagle, his youngest son who was left to care for his ailing mother, works in the local high school cafeteria by day but has a burning passion inside that manifests itself through painting street signs; and the eldest son, Guy, has been away from the family for years while pursuing his rock star dream in the big city until the day he learns of his mother's passing and that he's missed the funeral. Upon Guy's return home, relationships between the characters begin to unravel; Beagle's pent up emotions connect with Georgia Kaminski, a terminally ill teenage girl wanting to experience love before it's too late; Easy's long time affair with Marg, Georgia's eccentric grandmother, is finally exposed to the Kimbrough children; and Guy discovers that, in his absence, his high school sweetheart, Stephanie, has moved on and started a family of her own. Through it all, The Kimbroughs and Kaminski's manage to establish a new beginning in the face of their greatest fears.

This movie for me was pretty slow, but it was calming. It gives you the feel of a small town living. The idea and characters slowly start to settle in around you. I thought the music added a little needed touch to the drama that goes on between the small ensemble of characters. The relationships that brew between two couples, both connecting in a peculiar way, is lovely and yet it could also be unsettling. But life can be complicated, and this movie has tried to convey it the best way it can.

The elements of loneliness, freedom and understanding really melted into me upon seeing how the lives of these characters criss cross together. But even if these connected lines get distorted, they are mended. Perhaps not in the same shape that it once was, but healed nonetheless. I think The Cake Eaters did a good job of conveying that.

The movie itself was well made, the story may have been slow-paced but quite fitting. The acting was superbly done. The lighting was subtle but keenly noted and revealed. Overall, I think this is a good watch.