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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Students send heartfelt message to missing Ashland girl End-of-month sale set at Ashland library Rose Circle volunteers help mentor children 10 things to know for Tuesday Mt. Ashland Ski Area looks for ways to diversify Education A connection between Charlie Hebdo, MLK and the classroom Crunching the numbers Chickenpox in rear-view mirror? Ashland schools expand chicken pox exclusion rules Students go behind the scenes at hospital Environment Grant will help restore 'legacy' oak habitat in Southern Oregon and Northern California Mt. Ashland Ski Area crew dips to five Mt. Ashland Ski Area announces layoffs The top five conservation success of 2014 Protestors want Keystone pipeline plans stopped Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Audi Q5 Silvio Calabi: Chrysler 200S — hey, who is that? Ashland Fiber Network wants to be able to keep trade secrets The heart of Brammo will remain Silvio Calabi: Ford Escape Still a Solid Player Politics and elections Ashland Fiber Network wants to be able to keep trade secrets Volunteer award, State of City address presentations Tuesday City's policy, efforts aim for diversity, but numbers show shortfall Kent Bush: The keys to decoding the State of the Union address Chief Holderness retiring, wants to help find successor State News State records show number of big marijuana farms has increased New wandering wolf arrives in Southern Oregon Nation - World Obituaries May E. Harrison James Bernard Death Notices Death Notices James Bernard Shareable Looking back: Do you remember 2014’s biggest stories? In memoriam: 2014’s notable deaths Sports Latest Stories Sacks, Gooding claim Century title Sacks, Gooding claim Century Tourney title Ashland girls remain winless in MWL Fourteen Raiders earn CCC academic honors Four Raiders up for SOSC honors High school Ashland girls remain winless in MWL Springfield takes advantage of Ashland letdown A Grizz sweep Comets press past Grizzlies Raiders put on a show Southern Oregon University Ashland girls remain winless in MWL Fourteen Raiders earn CCC academic honors Four Raiders up for SOSC honors Springfield takes advantage of Ashland letdown Mariota wins Manning award Opinion Latest Stories Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ... Letters to the Editor, Jan. 27 Other Views: Managing wild horses Letters to the Editor, Jan. 26 Chris Honoré: Modern media: the unreliable narrator Editorial Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ... Other Views: Managing wild horses Our View: Adjusting the lines Our View: City gets high marks Our View: King's other message Letters Letters to the Editor, Jan. 27 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 26 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 23 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 22 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 21 Guest opinions Chris Honoré: Modern media: the unreliable narrator Guest Opinion: The relevance of socialism in the U.S. Herb Rothschild Jr.: Support single-payer Guest Opinion: We're Oregonians, but we're not stupid Chris Honoré: The Lewis Glacier on Mount Kenya — an elegy Revels Latest Stories Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Brian Freeman presents 'An Evening of Scottish Music' Best Bets: Jan. 22-29 Ballyhoo! brings reggae and rock to Brickroom 'Sniper' reveals the total cost of war Theater Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Insights into the gifts theater offers off the stage Theater is an act of co-creation Music The Farr Side: Trainor building a music niche A laid-back chat with Marilyn Manson Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Jeff Kloetzel at Belle Fiore The Farr Side: Top 10 album count-up for 2014 Visual Art Schneider winter exhibits on tap: 'Baker's Dozen' and 'New Works' First Friday kicks off a new year Movies Movie review: ‘Mortdecai’ majorly misses the mark Movie review: Aniston’s performance is the icing on ‘Cake’ Movie review: ‘Cake’ showcases Jennifer Aniston at her best Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas 'Sniper' reveals the total cost of war Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Rose Circle volunteers help mentor children Eleanor's dog and the veil between worlds Buying a home? Consider its walkability Shayne Looper: ‘Unanswered’ prayers can challenge one’s faith Food for Thought: These healthy Super Bowl snacks are game-changers Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business NEWS NOW Students send heartfelt message to missing Ashland girl ... Mt. Ashland Ski Area looks for ways to diversify ... Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ... ... Students send heartfelt message to missing Ashland girl ... Mt. Ashland Ski Area looks for ways to diversify ... Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ... ... Movie review: Aniston's performance is the icing on 'Cake' Comment By Dana Barbuto The Patriot Ledger DailyTidings.com By Dana Barbuto The Patriot Ledger Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 12:01 am By Dana Barbuto The Patriot Ledger Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News Jennifer Aniston should play against type more often. In the indie drama “Cake,” Aniston — best known for playing the beautiful and slightly neurotic Rachel Green for a decade on “Friends” — sheds the trademark sass and affability on which she built her career to inhabit the role of a pill-popping, grief-stricken mother obsessed over the suicide of another member (Anna Kendrick) of her chronic pain support group. Director Daniel Barnz (“Beastly”), working from a script by newcomer Patrick Tobin, doesn’t reveal Claire Bennett’s situation all at once. We’re tossed bits and bones here and there to piece together. The dots are connected pretty quickly — car accident, dead toddler, sour marriage, unbearable pain, suicide. Predictably, “Cake” plays like a half-baked Lifetime movie, but Aniston has enough smarts to sell it as an absorbing character study of a woman struggling to live again after losing everything. It’s a career best, and Aniston has been deservedly honored with best actress nominations from the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globes. It’s not a glamorous role. Her face is sullen and scarred. Her hair is snarly. She gained some weight and wears no make up. Aniston keeps you riveted by creating feelings and emotions that are palpably painful and darkly humorous. She tapped into much the same reserves in 2002’s “The Good Girl.” She receives a lot of help from a terrific supporting cast that includes Adriana Barraza (“Babel”) as her loyal caretaker; Felicity Huffman as the New Age-y support group leader; Mamie Gummer as her no-frills physical therapist; Lucy Punch as her gullible doctor; and Chris Messina as her alienated ex-husband. Soon enough, Aniston’s Claire becomes creepily fixated on the son and husband (Sam Worthington) Nina (Kendrick) left behind. Kendrick, shown in hallucinatory conversations with Claire, is a delight per usual. Claire inserts herself into their lives on an almost stalker-ish level. As a director, Barnz continues to give his main characters an affliction to overcome: Elle Fanning had Tourette’s in “Phoebe in Wonderland” and Alex Pettyfer was disfigured in “Beastly.” With “Cake,” he improves the recipe, turning in his smallest yet most-layered movie. My only quibble is knowing from the get-go what the final frame is going to be. But getting there is worth the ride, thanks to Aniston, who is so sneakily vivid in her conveyance of the emotional and physical hurt, anger and loneliness her character battles. You can’t blame Claire for being depressed, caustic and sometimes cruel. Sure, a movie about chronic pain and tragedy might not be something to rush out to see, but there are a couple of jolts of uplift — with Baranza, for example, when Claire surprisingly defends her in a Mexican pharmacy. While “Cake” is not a cheery movie, it doesn’t totally bum you out either, and Aniston’s performance is the perfect icing. Dana Barbuto may be reached at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter @dbarbuto_Ledger. Movie review: “Cake,” R for language, substance abuse and brief sexuality. Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Barraza, Anna Kendrick and Sam Worthington. Grade: B+. By Dana Barbuto The Patriot Ledger DailyTidings.com By Dana Barbuto The Patriot Ledger Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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