Jennifer Aniston is a revelation in this movie. I have never seen her act this much before.
Cake was a superbly directed movie by Daniel Barnz that brought the audience on a touching journey of a woman in a brief period of her lifetime. Even though it was a slow burn, with shots of Aniston only at times going through her pain, it was never boring.
It was definitely Aniston's performance through the lens of Barnz that brought the character to life. Aniston was almost unrecognizable through her portrayal and she made me feel the pain that she was constantly having throughout her body.
As someone who has suffered physical pain for a period of time before, I could imagine the discomfort and inability to bend in a certain way. But also I could imagine my level of discomfort and pain amplified to her level and it was very relatable and not easy to watch.
But the characters here were great, especially the helper played by Adriana Barraza who formed a quiet level of friendship with Aniston's character that was moving to see. Also, the number of familiar faces that popped up here even if it was just for a couple of scenes like William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman and Britt Robertson; all made an impact.
Other than Barraza, the ones that shared the most screentime were Sam Worthington and Anna Kendrick. And I noticed Kendrick's character was another one that was quirky enough to attract her to such a small project.
In the end, there were a couple of scenes that were completely moving; partly through Barnz's storytelling and partly through his direction of Aniston.
Aniston should have been nominated for Best Actress that year, instead of Meryl Streep for Into The Woods, which was not even Oscar worthy. But I guess Hollywood just wasn't ready to have her name appear as "Academy Award nominee" just yet.
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