(2005)
3
Brian J. Dillard
Although its plot, characters, and themes stick well within the chick-lit/romantic comedy formula, this breezy Heather Graham vehicle manages to entertain thanks to a strong ensemble, a well-crafted script, and plenty of intellectual asides. Not many "date movies" have room for multiple jokes about French poststructuralism, but Cake clearly aspires to be a smarter variation on Sex and the City. Multicultural touches abound, from colorblind casting to gay sidekicks, yet the entire enterprise manages not to feel focus-grouped. Instead, it's as if screenwriter Tassie Cameron and director Nisha Ganatra set out to create a film whose content was as inclusive and up-to-date as its form was conservative. The cynical window dressing forces the script to spend way too much time getting to the inevitable happy ending. But Graham makes a capably neurotic heroine, and it's hard not to enjoy a flick that gives Sandra Oh, Cheryl Hines, and David Sutcliffe the chance to work their respective charms in enjoyably formulaic supporting roles. In fact, "enjoyably formulaic" is the perfect summation of Cake as a whole.
Cake on AllMovie
Cake (2005)
