the audience applauded

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Boring

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

"The cake eaters" is above all a picture with characters full of humanity, and the merit has to be given to the screenwriter, who offered intense and heartful dialogues, as well as to the director, who was able to guide a talented cast, as to convey the depth of their dramatic roles, without ever making them sound pathetic or unnecessarily melodramatic. There's a strong dignity in each of the characters, each one having to come to terms with old unsolved issues and relationships. The theme of love, at every age, at every stage, in every form is unraveled with a strong consciousness of all the single and unique problems, difficulties, but also positive involvement, that each single story may carry. I loved the touching story between Georgia and "Beagle", as it shows such delicacy, although facing complicated issues, such as disability and virginity. But in general, all the themes of the movie, from love to loss, to death, betrayal, seem to be treated with such tact,with such a sympathetic attitude towards the frailty of human beings, that also the overall sense of drama is softened, and a final sense of peace and relief is to be appreciated. A drama capable of making you feel good, a rare cinema experience.

This isn't a flashy movie, but it is a nice simple, beautifully photographed, well crafted film. The characters are true to themselves and it was a pleasure to watch. For some reason, I really liked it. It also has a great soundtrack that works well with the overall poetic feeling of the movie. A very impressive directing debut for Mary Stuart Masterson. Although I'd like to see her in front of the camera, MSM does a great job behind the camera on this film. Kristin Stewart is completely believable as the disabled Georgia, and treats her character honestly and forthrightly with a subtle dignity, and it was a joy to watch her act. Bruce Dern and Elizabeth Ashley also do their jobs well and are completely believable.

Kristen Stewart is now a star. It's really a shame. She could once do interesting work, as in this film and 'Adventureland'. However she will be forever known as the sulky starlet from the Terrible Tale of Taut, Teethy, Toddlers in the Twilight Teeniverse. Stephanie Meyer has a lot to answer for.Mary Stuart Masterson makes her debut here as director, yet is better known as the cool tomboy drummer, Watts from 'Some Kind of Wonderful'. She also starred opposite Sean Penn in 'At Close Range' and with Johnny Depp in 'Benny and Joon'. Here, her approach is more subtle. She doesn't overcompensate with her low budget, she settles on steady shots allowing the characters to reveal the story. It's a rural life, but all is not calm. Easy (Bruce Dern) lives with his two grown sons, one of whom has just returned after three years away, missing his mother's sickness and funeral. There are a few issues to sort out. Meanwhile, school girl Georgie (Kristen Stewart) is struggling under her dominating mother. As if her terminal illness isn't bad enough. She simply want to experience a normal life while she can. In short, she wants to lose her virginity. Can cafeteria worker Beagle, who is Easy's son, fill the void?There is more here than meets the eye. The relationships are complicated and sometimes not everything can worked out. We all must compromise and yet some people can't see past themselves. Everyone has needs, from the young to the old and we're just struggling to be accepted, preferably by someone we connect with.It feels like a novel and yet the script was written by Jayce Bartok, who plays Easy's eldest son Guy. Its a competent piece of work. It's not a film that will wrench your emotions from your gut, but as time wears on, you invest more into the characters and find yourself wanting even more. Sometimes it feels as though scenes are missing. In fact the German Film Market version was supposed to run 100 minutes. Here's its under 85. It was enough, but a few extra scenes more might have fleshed it out and made it a more complete experience.Nevertheless, wonderful performances, especially by the excellent Bruce Dern (Big Love, Silent Running) and TV & Stage star, Elizabeth Ashley and a nice beginning for Mary Stuart Masterson, who I hope continues on her directorial drive. It's more deserving than a Kristen Stewart curio, but if it gets people to it, then let them eat cake.

In a small town in the countryside, Georgia Kaminski (Kristen Stewart) is a fifteen year-old girl with Friedreich's ataxia, a genetic disease that causes progressive damage to the nervous system resulting in clumsy movements, speech problems heading to heart disease. While in a flea market selling goods with her grandmother Marg (Elizabeth Ashley), Georgia meets the shy twenty-years old Beagle Kimbrough (Aaron Stanford), who works in the cafeteria of her school and is the son of the local butcher Easy (Bruce Dern). Beagle spent the last years taking care of his ill mother while Easy and Marg have secretly been lovers for many years. Georgia feels that she will have few years of life and decides to lose her virginity with the sensitive Beagle. Meanwhile, Easy's older son Guy (Jayce Bartok) returns from New York for the funeral of his mother and seeks out the hairdresser Stephanie (Miriam Shor), who was his fiancée that he left behind when he moved to New York chasing the dream of becoming a successful musician. During the reunion, the lives of members of both families experience new discoveries and feelings.The debut of the sweet Mary Stewart Masterson in the direction of a feature is a beautiful and sensitive movie about families' relationship. The three romances are realistic and engaging and the characters are human and credible. The top-notch and impressive performance of Kristen Stewart in the role of a teenager with Friedreich's ataxia deserved a nomination to the Oscar. Kristen Stewart proves that she is not only an extremely gorgeous woman, but mainly a awesome actress. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Doces Encontros" ("Sweet Encounters")