The Cake Eaters (2007)

In (what appears to be) an economically deprived small town, two families whose lives have been intertwined by prior generations sees the new generation continue the ties. The feature film directing debut of actress Mary Stuart Masterson (FRIED GREEN TOMATOES) had been floating around the film festival circuit for a couple of years with no success in finding a film distributor and the lack of interest is understandable. It's the kind of movie where all the characters talk in platitudes and cliches and where pop folk songs on the soundtrack reiterate what we see on the screen lest we're unable to comprehend the obvious. The performances are good enough to sustain our interest so it's regretful that it isn't better. Kristen Stewart as a 15 year old with a neuromuscular disorder and Aaron Stanford as the 20 year old high school cafeteria worker who becomes her lover, in particular, are very good though the film doesn't seem to be overly concerned that she's still a minor. With Bruce Dern, Elizabeth Ashley, Melissa Leo (FROZEN RIVER, whose part has been cut down to a matter of seconds), Jesse L. Martin and Jayce Bartok who also wrote and produced the film. I'm still in the dark about what the title is supposed to mean.