I think there is a future in directing for Mary Stewart Masterson.
The Cake Eaters (2009)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:22
Fresh:15
Rotten:7
Average Rating:6.2/10
Consensus: Though light on theme and craftsmanship, The Cake Eaters relies on fine performances and brisk direction to provide an affecting tale of small-town life.
Theatrical Release:Mar 13, 2009 Limited
Synopsis: For her directorial debut, actress Mary Stuart Masterson (BENNY & JOON) has created a subtle, textured film. In THE CAKE EATERS, Kristen Stewart (TWILIGHT) stars as Georgia, a 15-year-old girl with... For her directorial debut, actress Mary Stuart Masterson (BENNY & JOON) has created a subtle, textured film. In THE CAKE EATERS, Kristen Stewart (TWILIGHT) stars as Georgia, a 15-year-old girl with a rare, debilitating neurological disorder. Sheltered by her artist mother, she's eager to experience life in the little time she has left. She begins a romance with 20-something Beagle (Aaron Stanford, THE HILLS HAVE EYES), while her grandmother (Elizabeth Ashley, EVENING SHADE) continues a decades-long affair with Easy, Beagle's father (Bruce Dern, COMING HOME). Easy's prodigal son (Jayce Bartok) returns from a three-year absence to find an angry brother and a jilted ex-fiancée. Masterson's clout as an actress couldn't have hurt in gathering such a strong cast. The young Stewart's performance carries the film. Though Georgia's motor skills are impaired, her movements never eclipse the emotion on Stewart's face. It's a mature and adept appearance for the actress. At the other end of the spectrum is veteran Dern. He's frequently the highlight of films in which he appears, and THE CAKE EATERS is no exception. Bartok wrote the film's screenplay and plays the man who tries to go home again. Although he's a better writer than actor in this film, he allows his fellow cast members to shine. In addition to the great performances, Duncan Sheik's relaxed piano and acoustic guitar score perfectly matches the film's rural New York State setting. [More]
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Aaron Stanford, Bruce Dern, Elizabeth Ashley
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Aaron Stanford, Bruce Dern, Elizabeth Ashley, Melissa Chessington Leo, Jesse L. Martin, Miriam Shor
Director: Mary Stuart Masterson
Director: Mary Stuart Masterson
Screenwriter: Jayce Bartok
Producer: Jesse Scolaro, Allen Bain
Composer: Duncan Sheik
Studio: 7-57 Releasing
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Reviews for The Cake Eaters
These are people whose company you enjoy, in good times and bad. Taking place over a short period of time, it's a small slice of life, yes. But as the title implies, it's a tasty one as well.
An old-fashioned minor key drama, "The Cake Eaters" is the exact type of film that is the cornerstone of modern American Independent cinema.
Pleasant, low-key drama about two small-town families with secrets. Though familiar in many respects, Mary Stuart Masterson's feature directorial debut has a quiet charm.
A small movie in every way, but solidly crafted and respectably acted.
Loaded with potentially maudlin material, Mary Stuart Masterson’s directorial debut turns out to be an economical, affecting slice of small-town naturalism.
Kristen Stewart is lovely, as is Masterson's beautifully crafted first film.
Masterson draws beautifully modulated performances from her strong ensemble cast ... It balances sweetness and sadness without ever leaning too heavily on either quality.
In her first feature film, Masterson creates a slice of life that is very believable (especially if you’ve ever seen The Jerry Springer Show), and often endearing.
Disease of the week suds are subverted in Kristen Stewart's oddly empowering disability sex romp. And though Cake is half baked at times, these impulsive humans going for the metaphorical dessert in life while skipping real sustenance, has a goofy appeal.
The Cake Eaters is a small but rewarding slice of realism that is a nice antidote to the surfeit of slasher movies that have been polluting the ozone lately.
Masterson, like many actors, is an assured director even in her debut; working with her brother Pete as cinematographer, she creates a spell and a tenderness and pushes exactly as far as this story should go.
Superior acting elevates a small, overcrowded ensemble piece set in rural upstate New York into something a little deeper.
With so much junk cluttering movie houses, it is a shame that it took two years for this sweet, intelligent drama to get a release before heading for DVD. But such is the sad state of the movie business.
As directing debuts from actors and actresses go, Masterson’s falls somewhere on the upper-end of the middle, a better-than-respectable effort given the difficulty of the material and the constraints of the budget.
As we fade out with Easy and sons bonding over steak and beers, our cockles are warmed -- the movie forgotten.
Stand out performances, interesting character dynamic but overall, kind of a flat film that really doesn’t have you too emotionally invested.
The Cake Eaters is a bland ensemble drama with an unremarkable script.
Latest News for The Cake Eaters
May 25, 2009:
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