It's not often I purposely watch movies that contain scenes of chronic illness, pain or disability. I might write about my own experiences, come across as open and honest and able to deal with what life throws at me, but sometimes it's too hard to watch a mirror image of yourself through art (on a side note I watched
50/50 when
diagnosed with cancer, it's also a goody). It evokes emotions and feelings that can be hard to deal with, but it can have it's good points too. It's depressing, yet releasing. Nice that someone, somewhere understood, that writers and actors really did their research. You feel in some ways respected by their work, and of course gratitude that they went about it the right way and not the easy way. These are not the type of movies that everyone will love, or that will break any records. When Hollywood gets it right, it gets it right. And
Cake is one of those movies. Hard to watch, hard to admit its truth, but in a weird way it comforts me to know this can be used as an entertaining resource to those who want to understand what life with chronic pain is like. I hope that such moves affect others in ways of education and information, even if I personally find it difficult to watch.
Movie reviews aint my thing, so bare with me while I attempt to dissect this one while not giving away too much of the story line.
Jennifer Aniston plays a role that I would have assumed out of her depth, a woman named Claire living in chronic pain due to an accident. No make up, realistic scarring, greasy hair and pajama looking clothes nearly all the way through the movie show Aniston in a light that we're not used to seeing her in. The Hollywood beaut is normalised down to mimic the reality of what a chronic-painer may look like -heck, I'll be honest, I haven't had a proper wash in about a week! I've the water heating up now as I type in an attempt at this again. That's disgusting, yep, but I haven't had the physical strength to do so as of yet and I despise asking Bicky for such help. I rarely get dressed in "outside clothes". That's the reality of my life and many others, and that was the reality of this movie. No glorifying illness, in any way whatsoever. No scenes of over-enthusiasm, easy rehabilitation or Jennifer Aniston at any stage saying "
the only disability is a bad attitude".
