Cake (2005/I)

Director:

Nisha Ganatra

Writer:

Tassie Cameron (written by)

Release Date:

20 October 2005 (Israel)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Have your life and eat it, too.

Plot:

A travel writer (Graham) who begrudgingly assumes control of her father's wedding magazine finds the new experience might just change her take on love.

Plot Keywords:

Gay Personal Assistant | Interracial Relationship

Cast

Heather Graham	...	Pippa McGee
David Sutcliffe	...	Ian
Taye Diggs	...	Hemingway Jones
Sandra Oh	...	Lulu
Keram Malicki-Sánchez	...	Frank
Cheryl Hines	...	Roxanne
Bruce Gray	...	Malcolm McGee
Sarah Chalke	...	Jane
Sabrina Grdevich	...	Rachel
Michael McMurtry	...	Luke
Amy Price-Francis	...	Sasha
Reagan Pasternak	...	Sydney
Jefferson Brown	...	Clifford
Suzanne Cyr	...	Suzanne
Frank Chiesurin	...	Chad
Dominic Cuzzocrea	...	Antique Dealer
Billy Khoury	...	Diego
Carlo Rota	...	Bob Jackman
Kasia Vassos	...	Lane
Martin Roach	...	Bartender
Ron White	...	Jane's Father
Jonathan Keltz	...	Valet
Jerry Schaefer	...	Waiter
Doug Murray	...	Walter
Diane Flacks	...	Announcer
Olivia Palenstein	...	Olivia
Leah McLaren	...	Leah
Rebecca Eckler	...	Rebecca
Adam Chuckryk	...	Beefy Jock
Ken Murton	...	Lee
Jonathan Jeyarajah	...	Drag Queen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Higgins	...	Billy (uncredited)
Roger Kass	...	High Roller (uncredited)
Kate Kelton	...	Tralee (uncredited)

Directed by
Nisha Ganatra

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tassie Cameron		written by

Produced by
Peter Block	....	executive producer
Miranda de Pencier	....	producer
Heather Graham	....	executive producer
Jennifer Jonas	....	executive producer
Tom Ortenberg	....	executive producer
Regina Robb	....	line producer

Original Music by
Andrew Lockington

Cinematography by
Gregory Middleton

Film Editing by
Mike Munn

Casting by
Kerry Barden
Mark Bennett
John Buchan
Billy Hopkins
Suzanne Smith		(as Suzanne Crowley)

Production Design by
Matthew Davies

Art Direction by
Peter Emmink

Set Decoration by
Erica Milo

Costume Design by
Joyce Schure

Makeup Department
Debra Johnson	....	key hair stylist
Robbi O'Quinn	....	assistant makeup artist
Candice Ornstein	....	key makeup artist
Josie Stewart	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Gregor Hutchison	....	post-production supervisor
Lynda McKenzie	....	post-production supervisor
Regina Robb	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vicki Henton	....	trainee assistant director
David Manion	....	first assistant director
Greg Sigurdson	....	trainee assistant director
Sorcha Vasey	....	second assistant director
Neil Winemaker	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Dwight Doerksen	....	construction coordinator
Peter Ivaskiv	....	art department
Janet Macleod	....	set buyer
Jack McCullough	....	key scenic artist
Andrew McKendy	....	lead set dresser
Mario Moreira	....	assistant property master
James R. Murray	....	property master
William Poulter	....	set dresser
Adam Prince	....	set dresser
Sean Scoffield	....	graphics

Sound Department
Steve Baine	....	foley artist
Peter S. Carlstedt	....	adr mixer
Neil Cedar	....	adr recordist: Sarah Chalke
Sue Conley	....	dialogue editor
Rolando Duque	....	boom operator
Keith Elliott	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nelson Ferreira	....	adr editor
Robert Fletcher	....	sound recordist
Jason Gough	....	boom operator
Janice Ierulli	....	adr editor
Brent MacLean	....	first assistant sound editor
Margot Massie	....	sound
Matthew McKenzie	....	adr recordist
Jason Perreira	....	re-recording assistant
Peter Persaud	....	foley recordist
Jane Tattersall	....	supervising sound editor
Andrew Tay	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Warchol	....	sound effects editor
Thomas Whiting	....	adr supervisor: Los Angeles
Marilee Yorston	....	foley assistant
Al Buchok	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tim Good	....	special effects supervisor

Stunts
Leigh Bianco	....	stunts: Pippa
Tom Farr	....	stunt rigger
Kelly Jones	....	stunt rigger
Alison Reid	....	stunt coordinator
Dave Van Zeyl	....	stunt rigger

Camera and Electrical Department
Phil Calambakas	....	best boy grip
Yvonne Collins	....	first assistant camera
Paul Dias	....	gaffer
Rob Dias	....	electrician
Rick Dubeau	....	grip
Shem Ellis	....	best boy electric
Roger Finlay	....	camera operator
Carl Flood	....	electrician
Lennox Green	....	generator operator
Sean Jensen	....	Steadicam operator
Beth Nobes	....	assistant camera
Nick Porter	....	electrician
Tom Sanders	....	aerial photographer
Chris Stagg	....	key grip
Andrea Stark	....	camera trainee
Ed Tanner	....	grip
Steve Winn	....	dolly grip
Michael Yarish	....	still photographer
Allan Yee	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Nancy Botting-Harrison	....	extras casting
Deborah Maxwell Dion	....	casting associate: Los Angeles
Jonathan Payne	....	casting assistant: Toronto
Paul Schnee	....	casting assistant: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marie Grogan Hales	....	assistant costume designer
Angela Mary-Gardner	....	wardrobe shopper
Jody Orsini	....	wardrobe truck supervisor
Lerelynne Phillips	....	wardrobe assistant
Elizabeth Westgate	....	on-set wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Erin Deck	....	first assistant editor
Robert Doyle	....	assistant editor
Joscelyn Goode	....	color timer
Brian Lovery	....	dailies colorist
Tom Mayclim	....	negative cutter
Adrian Saywell	....	telecine operator
Chris Wallace	....	colorist: HDTV

Music Department
Sam Brenzel	....	music supervisor
James Chapple	....	composer: song "Dancing On the Shore"
Nicholas Dodd	....	orchestrator: conductor
Dan Parr	....	music copyist
Brian L. Pickett	....	composer: song "Here With You"
John Rowley	....	music supervisor
Ron Searles	....	music editor
Ron Searles	....	music score recording engineer
Chris Welsh	....	assistant scoring engineer

Transportation Department
Michael Bingham	....	driver
David Di Venanzo	....	driver
Darrell Gibson	....	head driver
Mark Johnson	....	driver
Mary Jozvai	....	driver
Al MacNeil	....	transportation coordinator
Hendriik Riik	....	driver
Susan Shaw	....	driver
Paul Thorpe	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Virginia Alves	....	first assistant accountant
Julian Back	....	assistant to producer
William Cameron	....	title designer: main titles
Fernando DaSilva	....	assistant location manager (as Fernando S. Da Silva)
Karen de Montbrun	....	production accountant
Mark de Pencier	....	advisor: "Ultimate"
James Duffy	....	location production assistant
Ernest Dyck	....	stand-in
Tricia Fish	....	story editor
Victoria Fodor	....	choreographer
Sheena Graham	....	production coordinator
Robin Greavette	....	location scout
Tim Grech	....	sky diving coach
Brooke Hanson	....	assistant to producer
Ryan Heimpel	....	payroll accountant
Leah Hood	....	craft service
Roger Kass	....	consultant: sailing
Rohan Kelly	....	production assistant
Amber Kesteven	....	assistant production coordinator
Richard Kmecza	....	production assistant
Redd Knight	....	production coordinator
Bryan LaCour	....	production financing: Comerica Bank
Mara McSweeny	....	clearance
Mark Montefiore	....	assistant to director
Lilliana Murphy	....	stand-in: Heather Graham
Rick Parker	....	animal wrangler
Morgan H. Rector	....	production financing: Comerica Bank
Esta Spalding	....	story editor
Suzanne Stefanovic	....	assistant to producer
Warner Strauss	....	location manager
Selene Strilesky	....	script supervisor
Kelly Szandtner	....	advisor: "Ultimate"
Matthew Thompson	....	additional legal services
Beverly Warren	....	publicist
Donna Demers	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)

Thanks
Jane Pia Abramowitz	....	special thanks
Noel Baker	....	special thanks
Sergio Benetti	....	special thanks
Brian Binns	....	special thanks
Karla Bobadilla	....	special thanks
Josh Braun	....	thanks
Eve Bregman	....	special thanks
Cara Buono	....	special thanks
Genny Burgess	....	special thanks
Stevie Cameron	....	special thanks
Susan Carnival	....	special thanks
Linda Cohen	....	thanks
Jason Constantine	....	special thanks
Scott Dibble	....	special thanks
Carol Dysinger	....	special thanks
Katherine Emslie	....	special thanks
Nora Ephron	....	special thanks
Anne Escaron	....	special thanks
Leonard Farlinger	....	special thanks
Dave Forget	....	special thanks
John Fulton	....	special thanks
Julie Gedden	....	special thanks
Peter Gibson	....	special thanks
Larissa Gomes	....	special thanks
Robin Gurney	....	special thanks
David Irving	....	special thanks
Sakina Jaffrey	....	special thanks
Cyndi Lauper	....	special thanks
Lorene Machado	....	thanks
Wendy MacKeigan	....	special thanks
Madonna	....	special thanks
Susan Maggi	....	special thanks
Liz Manne	....	special thanks
Michelle Marion	....	special thanks
Mindy Michels	....	special thanks
Jill Moran	....	special thanks
Diana O'Farrell	....	special thanks
Devah Pager	....	special thanks
Martina Papinchak	....	special thanks
Jessica Paster	....	special thanks
Kara Russell	....	special thanks
Jen Small	....	thanks
David Thornton	....	special thanks
Beth Urdang	....	special thanks
Leslie Urdang	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Cake Productions Inc.
• First Look International
• New Real Films
• Northwood Entertainment
• Téléfilm Canada

Distributors

• TVA Films (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• First Look International (2005) (non-North America) (all media)
• Sky Films (2006) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films
• Oy Nordisk Film (2006) (Finland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Good FX

Other Companies

• Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (CAVCO)  produced with the assistance of
• Canadian Film Centre (CFC)  developed with the assistance of
• Canadian Television Fund  produced in association with
• Chum Television  produced in association with
• Comerica Entertainment Group  production financing
• Complex Studio, The  sound post-production
• Deluxe Post-Production  post-production facilities
• Duncan Morin Barristers & Solicitors  legal representation
• Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Film Finances Canada  completion guarantor
• Focus on Food  catering
• Glenn Gould Studio  music recorded at
• Government of Ontario  produced with the assistance of
• Harold Greenberg Fund, The  funding
• Movie Central Network  produced in association with
• Movie Network, The (TMN)  produced in association with
• Stroock & Stroock & Lavan  additional legal services
• Tattersall Sound  picture editing facilities
• Tattersall Sound  sound post-production
• Toronto Film Studios  movie studio

MPAA:

Rated R for some language and sexual content.

Runtime:

94 min | Israel:95 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-3 | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | UK:15 | South Korea:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Cedar Point, Tiny Township, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Cake Productions Inc.

Trivia:

Director Nisha Ganatra was hired to direct this film with strict adherence to the script by Tassie Cameron. The Producer, Miranda DePencier hired Tassie to write and developed this story based on her own life experience.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Pippa reads her letter to the bartender, he comments that one of her sentences is a run-on. While slightly verbose, it is not in fact a run-on sentence. Her grammar is correct.

Movie Connections:

References Dr. No (1962)

Soundtrack:

Anne Said

Pornography for Sorority Freshmen...

Heather Graham stars in this pretty pink lace bow of a movie, alternately flashing her pearly white smile and puppy dog eyes from scene to scene. One gets the feeling that watching the straight-to-DVD release with you are thousands of sorority girls braiding each other's hair while wearing fluffy animal slippers and pretending to cry.

Graham plays Pippa McGee (a movie name if there ever was one), a free spirit (slut) with a penchant for impulsive decisions (one night stands) and globe hopping adventures (inability to commit). We get the prerequisite explanations for her issues: A mother who died when she was a teenager; A distant father who is too hard on her; A group of friends who have an unspoken pact to remain independent and strong without the help of a man.

Pippa returns from one of her freelance adventure trips to find her father on the verge of a heart-attack and in need of someone to help run one of his magazines... Surprise, surprise... It is a bridal magazine named 'Wedding Bells'. And isn't that just the dream job for girls who wear pink pajamas? Needless to say, the magazine causes her problems being that she stands for everything that the magazine condemns. Her first issue is an unqualified disaster.

Then, as per screen writing 101, she meets two guys who will inevitably form the other two corners of the film's love triangle. Taye Diggs plays the studly photographer who shares Pippa's love for non-committal sex and fun. David Sutcliffe plays the straight-laced business man who wants more from Pippa than a quickie in the hot-tub.

I am one of the biggest romantics you'll meet, but even I have nothing but respect for singles who feel that marriage is a ludicrous institution that is either ultimately doomed to fail or descend into a comfortable acceptance of routine and safe boredom. This film seems to be championing the notion that women shouldn't feel the need to 'find a man' in order to feel complete. But the final act pulls the rug from under that notion and the movie fizzles into a standard rom-com riddled with "You Go Girlfriend" scenes and cheesy b-grade love songs.

Now... I think that Heather Graham is utterly underrated as an actress because of a few choice roles as the quintessential ditzy blonde with big boobs. But she has actually been far better than people give her credit for in films like "Boogie Nights", "Two Girls & a Guy", "Sidewalks of New York", "Swingers" & "The Guru". She is quite easily capable of carrying a film with energy and charisma. She is even good in this fluffy film despite having little to work with in terms of a script.

I liked the pace of the film. I thought Heather was fun to watch. The romances are cutesy, if not substantive. The 'friends' are amusing from time to time, led by the always refreshing Sandra Oh (Sideways) and Sarah Chalke (Scrubs). Diggs and Sutcliffe are nice counterpoints to one another. And the overall production was colorfully distracting enough to merit a passable grade. But there isn't anything here to really chew on... well hardly anything. "Cake" is a high-school cheerleader's wet dream of what life might become. I say we let her have that dream before she gets knocked up by the college senior who will dump her, leaving her to drop out of school as a single mom applying for a job at Taco Bell.

TC Candler IndependentCritics.com