Colourful And Touching—Review Of Sitting In Bars With Cake (2023)
Who's up for a piece of cake? Okay, don't be fooled by the title of this recent release because it's not all about the cake. Yes, there's a little bit about cake at the beginning but it quickly fizzles out as the film delves deeper into its plot. I almost didn't watch it solely because of the title. I like cakes but do I need to see the whole baking process in a film? No, but Yara Shahidi's face on the poster changed my mind. There's more to this drama than meets the eye.
Sitting In Bars With Cake (2023) is a true life story based on screenwriter Audrey Shulman's experience that took place about a decade ago. She was tired of being single and wanted to meet more boys. So she began an activity she called 'cakebarring' that involved baking cakes and taking them to bars in Los Angeles. The target was to bake fifty cakes.
Midway through this dating and caking experience, her roommate was diagnosed with cancer. She blogged about the entire experience and eventually put it all in a book. It's the book that's been adapted into this movie. Audrey Shulman's book started as a single's guide to landing a boyfriend and became an ode to a platonic friendship.
Sitting In Bars With Cake is about friendship, cakes, dating and love. It could easily have stayed as a blog of fun activities with friends but with the roommate's terminal illness, I understand the need to put it in a book and eventually in a movie. There are several touching movies based on characters who lost loved ones to cancer like The Fault in Our Stars (2014) and A Walk To Remember (2002). I loved them because they explore the value of life, love and friendship. This film joins this theme with the refreshing aspect of cake baking and dating.
It's a well-paced drama of two hours filled with a flurry of activities from baking to parties and exploring the relationship of the two main characters: Jane (played by Yara Shahidi) and Corinne (played by Odessa A’zion). Each scene is short and straight to the point. The first half of the film focused on building the characters and telling their stories down to the littlest details like brushing teeth or putting on makeup. It's easy to see why Jane and Corinne fit.
I enjoyed the chemistry and camaraderie between the two main characters and the actresses were amazing in their performances. They are like opposites. Jane is an introvert; she's shy, loves to bake, wears oversized cardigans and runs away from parties to go home alone. The nightlife in LA doesn't appeal to her. Corinne however is bold, intentional and outgoing. She encourages Jane to put herself out there rather than hide at home preparing for law school.
After viewers are comfortable with the characters and things are going smoothly, the film quickly takes a drastic turn where Corinne suffers a seizure and the diagnosis turns out to be a brain tumour. The tone changes. It's no longer about cakebarring or partying or having fun anymore. It's about hospitals, friendship and building memories. Director Trish Sie did an excellent job tying the two parts of the film together to make a fascinating watch.
The visuals and cinematography are fascinating. Lovely sceneries that felt like a tour around Los Angeles and a mix of bold colours in each scene make the film fun to watch including the hospital scenes. Viewers would expect depressingly dull scenes but it's not so. Trish Sie and the cast surprise their audience with its vibrant and moving storytelling that keeps you hooked throughout.
Overall, it's a fine film. I had my doubts at first but after watching, I'll recommend it. It's delightful and a tearjerker.
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Other images are screenshots from the movie
Posted using CineTV
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