Newport International Film Festival 2008

The comedic drama The Cake Eaters features the directorial debut of actress Mary Stuart Masterson. The film’s screenwriter Jayce Bartok plays a guy named Guy who returns to his hometown after taking a stab at his dreams in the big city. He gets reacquainted with his family which forces everyone to deal with suppressed demons of their past in their search for love and redemption. Up and coming Kristen Stewart's performance carries the film. At the other end of the spectrum is veteran Bruce Dern. He's frequently the highlight of films in which he appears, and The Cake Eaters is no exception. Duncan Sheik's (Brown Univ. alum) relaxed piano and acoustic guitar score perfectly matches the film's rural New York State setting.