Cake

This film tells the story of a woman with chronic pain, who becomes fixated with the suicide of a member in her support group. She works through the death of the friend, in order to work through her own grief.

Jennifer Aniston is only vaguely recognisable in this film, because she has scars on her face, she looks older, put on weight and basically is not looking glamorous at all. She plays this woman who is misusing pain killers, which gives her hallucinations. It is sad to see that she is so troubled by the events. I was also impressed by Adriana Barraza, who gives a stunning tirade in Spanish after Jennifer Aniston's ordeal on the train tracks. The tirade somehow leads to the satisfying ending, which is a subtly happy one.

It is not immediately apparent why the film is called "Cake", if you have not watched it. After watching it, I see why it is called cake, but I still find it a little to far fetched to be related to the central story line.

So... a pretty, funny, former sitcom actress... gives us a few signs that she might be capable of playing roles outside of the 'amusing chick' rom-com regular.

She does parts that secure her reputation of being a talented American 'cutie', she plays 'off-beat' characters with ease... and only occasionally lets the 'pay-day' Hollywood 'starlet' see the light of day.

Then she does this. A film that explores suicide, mental illness, self-loathing and the morality of friendship.

At the age of 60, I have gotten used to the annual round of 'Oscar Worthy' films being shoved down our throats... but this is different. Fine writing, authentic story telling... and unnecessarily great acting.

Any 'Oscar' hungry actor could have made a decent job of this... but Ms Aniston makes a brilliant job of it. She is no 'pretty-girl' actor here... she displays vulnerability, courageous wit... and does it all with aplomb.

If she doesn't get 'Best Actress'... the 'Oscars' are irrelevant.

Claire Bennett (Jennifer Aniston) suffers from constant pain and struggling with a tragic lost. Her housekeeper Silvana (Adriana Barraza) is her constant and mostly her only helper. She goes to a support group where Nina Collins (Anna Kendrick) just committed suicide. After threatening group leader Annette (Felicity Huffman), she gets Nina's address and befriends Nina's husband Roy Collins (Sam Worthington). She's hooked on pain killers and haunted by Nina's presence.

Aniston does a great job. The story isn't much and there is a need for more tension. I am still not sold on Sam Worthington. His character has potential to give Aniston something to play off of but he provides very little. In contrast, William H. Macy has a juicy scene and goes to town on it. This is a simple story that needs something to elevate the danger. It's relying too much on simply will she or won't she.

Every once in a while, and admittedly not often enough, an actor or actress opens your eyes to talents you weren't aware they inhabited. Over the past few decades, I think of performers like Charlize Theron in "Monster" or Halle Berry in "Monster's Ball" as prime examples. Joining the elite list is the beautiful and incredible Jennifer Aniston in Daniel Barnz's "Cake" co-starring Academy Award nominee Adriana Barraza. In a turn that stands as the single best performance by an actress this year, Aniston offers her heart and soul in the role of her career. "Cake" tells the story of Claire Simmons, a woman addicted to pain killers who begins to hallucinate and see visions of Nina (Anna Kendrick), a woman who commits suicide from her chronic pain support group. Not so long after, she starts a friendship with Nina's husband Roy (Sam Worthington), all while worrying the heart of her angelic housekeeper Silvana (Barraza). Screenwriter Patrick Tobin, a relatively unknown scribe whose only credit is "No Easy Way" nearly twenty years ago, gives a strong focus on the creation of Claire. In partnership with Aniston's talent, Claire comes off like the female equivalent to Melvin from "As Good as it Gets." Snippy, darkly funny at times, but mostly emotionally driven by an aching pain. Tobin's work on character creation is top-notch however, with his ability to move the story along fluidly, there's still some work to be done. When we dig into the people that surround Claire, it's only Silvana that doesn't feel like a clichéd representation of every sappy independent movie you've seen over the years. Director Daniel Barnz has a confident hand on the material and does his very best to elevate the script's flaws. With huge misfires like "Won't Back Down" and "Beastly" under his belt, he finally shows what some of his aesthetic beats can create with the right material. The movie has many interesting questions, some of which feel satisfying and comfortable to ask, other things however feel so small scale that the film itself can't keep up with it. The film lives and breathes, succeeds and soars, and stands tall by the work of Jennifer Aniston. I've liked Aniston since "Friends," my single favorite sitcom of all-time but her film choices have left much to be desired. I never knew that Aniston could dig so deep. I pray to the movie Gods that this is not a one-trick pony for her career. Aniston allows herself to be submerged, and overtaken by all the things that plague Claire's life. A single scene involving a large wall picture will bring many to tears. Adriana Barraza is nearly just as effective as Aniston in a role that will hopefully remind Hollywood that they are not tapping into one of the finest actresses working today. An emotional pillar to the story, Silvana's heart is worn on her sleeve, weaving in and out of Spanish, and presenting brilliant chemistry with Aniston. Sam Worthington continues to try to find his place in Hollywood. Subtle but emotionally distant for anyone to relish. Surprisingly moving, though brief is Chris Messina as Jason. He's a role or two away from having THE role that propels him to stardom. Anna Kendrick is haunting in a performance that beckons and calls for a change of pace for the actress. Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy are effective in brief, underwritten roles. We also get a final look at the late Misty Upham, which is tragic on its own. Overall, "Cake" hits the center of grief and loss just good enough to warrant a positive reaction. Jennifer Aniston's performance is something that most actresses will pray to be able to achieve, but never come close. An effortless turn that doesn't fade in the distance or crumble under the cloud of a faulty script. She excels in a performance that demands respect from her peers, and movie- goers everywhere.

It's not hard to guess why critics and audiences might be turned off by Cake. For the first half, Jennifer Aniston's Claire is snarky with a comeback for everything, manipulates and abuses everyone around her, and indulges in a constant, expensive pity party, and we aren't told why. Once the meat of the story reveals itself, however, Cake is astonishingly clever, delicate, and emotional.

Claire Bennett is the apparent victim of an unexplained accident that left her with chronic pain, a bad attitude, and a trail of broken relationships. After a woman in her pain support group commits suicide, Claire tracks down the woman's husband in a curiously misguided search for answers.

It's not the most unique premise, but screenwriter Patrick Tobin takes the story in unexpected directions, avoiding clichés and handling the subject matter with surprising grace. Director Daniel Barnz could have used some more time in the editing room -- certain side characters and subplots get either more or less time and background than they deserve; why Anna Kendrick's character made it past a rough cut is beyond me -- but in his hands a wordy screenplay becomes visually interesting, moves along at a comfortable pace and is backed by a reflective, unobtrusive score. His direction, and so the movie, really won me over at the climax, where after an hour and a half of sarcasm and one-liners Claire shuts up for once and finally lets the pain in. It's a beautiful, heartrending scene, and the decision to rest Cake on Jennifer Aniston's shoulders was absolutely the right one.

I never thought much of Adriana Barraza in Babel and have only seen her in a couple of other movies but she adds so many personal touches to the role of Claire's maid/cook/home health aide/best friend, she has a real talent for empathy and nuance. Jennifer Aniston, though, is the standout. She clearly reveled in the chance to break away from Rachel and she aced it. There's a tiny moment where Sam Worthington's character tells her she's messed up, and she plays the reaction shot so completely differently from anything she's done in the past - that's when I really started believing her in the role and she only got better from there. She nails her character's dry sense of humor and selfishness, and knows exactly how much charm to give her to make her watchable if not likable. It's a seriously committed, seamless, career-defining performance and she'd be my pick for this year's Oscar.

Verdict: watch it for Jennifer Aniston, walk away pleasantly surprised.