The Cake Eaters (2007)

Director:

Mary Stuart Masterson

Writer:

Jayce Bartok (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 March 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

life can be as sweet as you make it...

Plot:

Two families are brought together by the return of one family's son -- a reunion that conjures up old ghosts and issues that must be addressed.

Plot Keywords:

Handicap | Breakfast | Low Life | Photographer | Cow

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Elizabeth Ashley	...	Marg Kaminski
Jayce Bartok	...	Guy Kimbrough
Bruce Dern	...	Easy Kimbrough
Miriam Shor	...	Stephanie
Aaron Stanford	...	Dwight 'Beagle' Kimbrough
Kristen Stewart	...	Georgia Kaminski
Talia Balsam	...	Violet Kaminski
Tom Cavanagh	...	Lloyd
Melissa Leo	...	Ceci Kimbrough
Jesse L. Martin	...	Judd
Avery Rak	...	Young Guy
Andrew George Jr.	...	Young Beagle (as Andrew George)
Dan McCabe	...	Teenage Boy #1
Conor Romero	...	Teenage Boy #2
Jeffrey Spiegel	...	Teenage Boy #3
Elizabeth Van Meter	...	Hippie Chick
Lucas Papaelias	...	Mikey P.
Elisa Pugliese	...	Stacy
Robert Meo	...	Bobby
E.J. Carroll	...	Vito
Stephen Payne	...	Farmer Phil
Elizabeth Girardeau	...	Maggie Lynn
Devin Ratray	...	JJ
Grant Monohon	...	Hipster
Dylan Denton	...	Boy
Susan Gardner	...	Young Pregnant Bride
Marylouise Burke	...	Babe
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dave Dyshuk	...	Passerby (uncredited)
Mary E. Freeman	...	Flea Market Shopper (uncredited)
Zoe Hunter	...	Girl on the Bus (uncredited)
George Radel	...	Flea Market Shopper (uncredited)
Vincent Rao	...	Flea Market Shopper (uncredited)
Nicole Signore	...	Flea Market Shopper (uncredited)

Directed by
Mary Stuart Masterson

Writing credits
Jayce Bartok		(screenplay)

Produced by
Allen Bain	....	producer
Jayce Bartok	....	co-producer
Carrie Fix	....	line producer
Darren Goldberg	....	producer
David Morris Kelly	....	production executive
Mary Stuart Masterson	....	producer
Kate White Morris	....	executive producer
Patrick R. Morris	....	executive producer (as Patrick Morris)
Elisa Pugliese	....	producer
Jesse Scolaro	....	producer

Original Music by
Duncan Sheik

Cinematography by
Peter Masterson		(director of photography) (as Peter C.B. Masterson)

Film Editing by
Joe Landauer
Colleen Sharp

Casting by
Kerry Barden
Suzanne Crowley
Billy Hopkins
Paul Schnee

Production Design by
David Stein

Set Decoration by
Lisa Scoppa

Costume Design by
Marina Draghici

Makeup Department
Jill Astmann	....	key makeup artist: second unit
Jason Hayes	....	key hair artist
Paul Huntley	....	wig maker: Kristen Stewart
Pamela May	....	key hair artist: second unit
Stacey Panepinto	....	key makeup artist
Kami Steele	....	additional makeup artist
Taurance F. Williams	....	additional hair stylist

Production Management
Louise Lovegrove	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sheri Davani	....	first assistant director (as Shahrzad 'Sheri' Davani)
Sarah Gottlieb	....	second assistant director: second unit
Scott Larkin	....	second second assistant director
Paul 'Big Mac' MacDonald	....	second assistant director
Josh Newport	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Steven Algaroba	....	construction grip: New York City
Pastor Alvarado III	....	assistant property master
James Baratta	....	construction grip: New York City
Scott Canfield	....	leadman
Angelique Clark	....	art department shopper: second unit
Brian Douglass	....	art production assistant
Kristin Emery	....	charge scenic
Nicole Emmons	....	construction grip: New York City
Haden Garrett	....	art assistant
Kenneth W. Hoare	....	art consultant (as Ken Hoare)
Greg Izzo	....	set dresser
Joe James	....	art production assistant (as Joseph James)
Robert Jean-Pierre	....	art production assistant
Doro Klusmann	....	on-set dresser: second unit (as Dorothea Klusmann)
Joe Kudlack	....	construction grip: New York City
Roger Lang	....	key carpenter: New York City
Greg Mazzola	....	construction grip: New York City
Ron Mazzola	....	construction grip: New York City (as Ron Mazzola Jr.)
Corinne Merrell	....	art assistant
Miles Michael	....	on-set dresser
Nicholas J. Mongelli Jr.	....	construction grip: New York City (as Nicholas Mongelli)
Will Pangman	....	art production assistant (as William Pangman)
Gerald Pitalo	....	set dresser: New York City
Allison Robin	....	art department supervisor
Duke Scoppa	....	property master (as Edward P. Scoppa Jr.)
Stephen Shapiro	....	carpenter: New York City
Amy Small	....	set dresser: second unit
Richard Tenewitz	....	construction coordinator: New York City
Daniel Tonkin	....	construction grip: New York City
Frankie Tonkin	....	construction grip: New York City
Girolamo Tuzzolino	....	construction grip: New York City
James Walker	....	shop craftsman: New York City
Kenneth Walshak	....	shop craftsman: New York City (as Ken Walshak)
Lee Whittier	....	property master: second unit (as Vernon Lee Whittier)

Sound Department
David Briggs	....	dialogue editor
Ryan Collison	....	foley engineer
Rusty Dunn	....	sound designer
Rusty Dunn	....	sound effects editor
Lewis Goldstein	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lewis Goldstein	....	supervising sound editor
Jack Hutson	....	production sound mixer
Thomas W. Jordan	....	boom operator
Allen Lau	....	assistant sound editor
Rich Macar	....	sound recording mixer
Jay Peck	....	foley artist
Jeanne Sison	....	audio post producer

Visual Effects by
Andrew J. Bly	....	visual effects producer
Luke DiTommaso	....	visual effects supervisor
Chris Healer	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Roy Farfel	....	stunt coordinator
Gene Harrison	....	stunt coordinator
Don Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Kevin Rogers	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Alexeev	....	grip
Abraham Altbuch	....	best boy grip
Cesar Baptista	....	dolly grip
Cesar Baptista	....	key grip
Ray Collins	....	camera operator
René Crout	....	first assistant camera
Nicole Emmons	....	grip
Darren Frohlich	....	additional electrician
Keith Gordon	....	additional grip
Robert Lau	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Deborah Lipman	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Stephen Long	....	additional electrician
William Lucia	....	grip
Nick Maczka	....	best boy grip: second unit
Tim Marotta	....	additional grip
Nestor Medina	....	electrician
Simeon Moore	....	best boy electric
Jeff Panessa	....	additional grip
Karin Partin	....	camera intern
Christopher Piazza	....	second assistant camera
Nicole Rivelli	....	still photographer
Rachael Saltzman	....	electrician
David Satin	....	digital imaging technician
John Schwartz	....	gaffer
Chad Strohmayer	....	generator operator
Josh Wilber	....	grip: second unit
Andrew Wonder	....	second assistant camera: second unit

Casting Department
Lori Eastside	....	extras casting
Robert Oppel	....	extras casting assistant
Marny Smith	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Erin Byrne	....	costumer
Jane Friesen	....	costume production assistant
Roseann Milano	....	wardrobe supervisor
Lauren Miller	....	costume intern

Editorial Department
Anthony Brandonisio	....	additional assistant editor
Jeffrey Dye	....	editorial assistant
Jordan Lindblad	....	assistant editor: avid

Music Department
Jim Black	....	music supervisor
Barry Cole	....	music supervisor
Barnaby Greenberg	....	music consultant
Michael Tudor	....	music engineer

Other crew
Michele Baker	....	location manager
Rebecca Bernard	....	production assistant: first team, second unit
Brette Billow	....	assistant production coordinator
Anna Bowers	....	additional set production assistant
Stefan Bozydaj	....	production assistant: first team
Robert Broder	....	set medic
Andrew Cesana	....	script supervisor: second unit
Wendy Cohen	....	product placement supervisor
Carol A. Compton	....	script clearance
Megan Denver	....	assistant location manager
Frank Dianda	....	location production assistant
Christina DiCerbo	....	set production assistant: second unit
Jacob Eben	....	set production assistant
Diana Encheva	....	intern
Max Fourny	....	set production intern
Tom Ganjamie	....	set production assistant: second unit
D.G. Gonzalez	....	location unit manager (as Daniel Gonzalez)
Jim Hartz	....	studio teacher: Kristen Stewart
Jason Herman	....	intern
Jennifer Hoopes	....	location scout: New York City
Heidi Hoyt	....	caterer
Michael Hoyt	....	caterer
Borjan Jovanovich	....	key set production assistant
Louis Katz	....	medical services (as Dr. Louis Katz)
Kirsten Kearse	....	script supervisor
Nelson Khoury	....	location scout: New York City
Eric A. Knapp	....	office intern
Andrew Kornhaber	....	set production assistant
Mark Lake	....	location manager: New York City
Sam Lisenco	....	set production intern
Benjamin Logan	....	production assistant
Benjamin Logan	....	set production assistant (as Ben Logan)
Maria Elena Lopez-Frank	....	assistant: Ms. Masterson
Casey Madigan	....	additional set production assistant
Trinidy McMahon	....	key set production assistant: second unit
Matthew Monaco	....	additional set production assistant
Gideon Moncrieffe	....	additional set production assistant
Ali Moussavi	....	office production assistant
Kory O'Donnell	....	production office coordinator
Paul Pangman	....	production office intern
Kikuyo Polk	....	accounting assistant
Minico Roberts	....	accountant filer
Allison Robin	....	product placement coordinator
Vernon Rodriguez	....	parking coordinator
Sarah Rubenstein	....	production accountant
Brendan K. Russell	....	office production assistant (as Brendan Russell)
David Henry Schneider	....	assistant: Mr. Dern
Otto Stockmeier	....	location intern: New York City
Amy Teitter	....	additional location production assistant
Nicole Tripp	....	additional location production assistant
Adam Watt	....	office production assistant
Danielle Wilson	....	craft service
Steven Yap	....	set production intern

Thanks
Tiffany Bartok	....	special thanks
Jeremy Davidson	....	special thanks
Leo Redgate	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• 57th & Irving Productions
• 7th Floor, The
• Vinyl Foote Productions

Distributors

• Screen Media Films (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• 7-57 Releasing (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Acteurs Auteurs Associés (AAA) (2011) (France) (all media)
• Acteurs Auteurs Associés (AAA) (2011) (Netherlands) (all media)
• Arkles Entertainment (2009) (New Zealand) (all media)
• Eagle Films (2007) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• New KSM (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Paris Filmes (2009) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Eat Catering  craft service: New York City
• Entertainment Industry Physicians  medical services
• Gourmet To U  catering: New York City
• IndieClear  script clearance
• N.Y.C. Casting  background casting (as NYC Casting)
• Wilshire Stages, The  ADR recording facility

Also Known As:

"Doces Encontros" - Brazil (imdb display title)
"Glykia zoi" - Greece (DVD title)
"Viver a Vida" - Portugal (imdb display title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some language and sexual material involving a teen

Runtime:

86 min | Germany:100 min (European Film Market)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Catskill, New York, USA

Company:

57th & Irving Productions

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the hairdresser Stephanie is kissing Guy, the tattoo encircling her upper arm is faded out towards its ends, an unmistakable sign of a temporary tattoo.

Quotes:

Georgia:Nice to meet you.
Beagle:Yeah, um, I've seen you around. You go to my school.
Georgia:You go to Lincoln?
Beagle:No, no I work there in the cafeteria. I make your lunch.
Georgia:If you want to call it lunch.
Beagle:Yeah, well, school food gets a bad rep I guess.

Soundtrack:

Sage the Rock Star

Gets inside you, and gets in good

In this superbly rendered drama from Mary Stuart Masterson, two small-town families find their lives unexpectedly intertwined when the quiet, socially awkward Beagle Kimbrough (Aaron Stanford) invites the romantic attentions of Georgia Kaminski (Kristen Stewart), a young girl with a rare but terminal nervous disease who knows her window of opportunity is rapidly closing. Much to the chagrin of her domineering mother, and the chilly audits of her otherwise zesty grandmother, Georgia decides to follow her feelings to wherever it is they lead her. Meanwhile, Beagle's older brother Guy (Jayce Bartok), the wayward son, returns from a dead-end bid to become a musician and struggles to reconcile himself with estranged father Easy (Bruce Dern) the town butcher, whose wife (Guy and Beagle's mother) has recently passed away.

There are so many points in this movie where a less steady hand might have foundered the effort, either by overplaying the sentiment card, or by trying to hard to push the tragic undertones, but the film finds an immaculate balance, that golden middle-of-the-road equilibrium that just gets rarer the more time goes by. The characters are so genuine, their stories so real, that the film exacts an impact that is no less raw, and no less memorable, than the trials and tribulations of families we know in life.

The first scene offers a perfect illustration of everything that's right with the movie: Beagle and Easy sit across from each other at the breakfast table, Easy contemplating such bold measures as changing his breakfast cereal, Beagle listening, responding in monosyllables, almost without thinking, and from this one tiny encounter we glean the whole spectrum of what their relationship has become – perfunctory, habitual, and void of energy.

With writing this precise, and with performances so nuanced and natural that all of Hollywood's clichés are swept under the carpet without so much as a whimper, the stage is set for perfection.

Which is what this movie is – perfection.