As I promised, here is the interview Jennifer Aniston did with Good Morning America yesterday. These photos are from outside the GMA studio in NYC too – I like the black heels and black tights. There’s a white blouse and a black bouclé coat, which I like a lot. The skirt is Saint Laurent, apparently. Huh, so much Saint Laurent lately. I’m also enjoying the fact that she’s not doing the ponytails or updos since her Oscar snub. She no longer feels the need to convince us that she’s serious, with serious hair. Thank God! Anyway, here’s the GMA interview:
#CakeLayers! Not to be confused with Layer Cake, which is actually an excellent movie starring a pre-James Bond Daniel Craig. Jennifer was fine here, it was Robin Roberts who annoyed me. I did take issue with this though: “No one has ever told a story about chronic pain.” Is that right? My first thought went to House, MD, which isn’t a movie, yes, but was a major Emmy-winning TV series in which the lead character struggled every day with chronic pain. While Cake might be the first film (or the first in recent memory) to deal with chronic pain, I’m bothered by the idea that Cake is being billed as the only “story” of chronic pain. Am I nitpicking? It’s just that I used to watch House all the time.
Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News and WENN.
So after all the fuss around it, I decided to watch Cake online (yes illegally, I know i am killing the movie industry, leave me alone!). It was an okay movie, I was expecting something a bit better. Definitely not an oscar-worthy performance for Aniston but it’s a nice change from rom coms you know? Also it did not feel like it actually dealt with chronic pain on a physical scale but more on how you are supposed to rebuild yourself after a tragedy that leaves you broken (physically and mentally).
@busylizzy did JA truly delve into the role and give a performance that wasn’t one-dimensional? did she truly give some depth to the role? were you able to see someone other than rachel at least?
I thought it was a movie about how not wearing makeup can earn you an Oscar.
lmao +1
Most of the reviews have been that the movie isn’t good but Jennifer is. The thing is I feel like critics are comparing her performance to her past movies. Compared to her other roles Jennifer was great but taken as a stand alone performance she’s average. Since Jennifer has had a mediocre career and repeats her roles, she gets high praise when she does something a little different. Same thing happened with “The Good Girl”.
She looks nice.
I agree. 🙂 I like to see her looking happy and healthy.
Dear J. Aniston. Please go away now. Oh – would you mind taking Cabbagepatch with you?
Yours,
An ever-hopeful CM.
Co sign
yea honestly House didn’t cross my mind either, although I do understand how it’s partly about his chronic pain (and in fact, Laurie has real life pain from faking said chronic pain!). It seems this movie is solely about a woman’s life with chronic pain while the main story in House is not about his pain.
jen and the interviewer mentions that it’s hard to relate to the main character, but I disagree. the character’s chronic pain was just manifested on the outside. so many of us carry that pain, humiliation, shame and fear on the inside.
Very true.
I was a little surprised to learn the movie was about chronic pain, because it’s a subject that I don’t think of as commonly explored in movies. Before the movie came out, I actually thought it was going to be about alcoholism or hard drugs like heroin, or if the movie was going to be about disability, it might show someone in a wheelchair (like the Daniel Day Lewis movie from the 80s). So I don’t think Aniston’s speculation was totally incorrect. Once I learned what the movie was about, I thought to myself “Can you actually score an Oscar nomination when you do a movie about chronic pain?” If Aniston stars in a movie where one of her legs gets blasts off and she has to wear a fake nose, I think she might get a nomination.
Hmm…don’t think it’s the first one. I am sure we can find an old movie about dealing with chronic pain somewhere if we dig deep enough. But she is good in that, not the greatest.
How many gazillion movies have had central characters who die of some illness, usually cancer? That’s chronic pain. How many gazillion actors have gotten sick in a movie? PUHLEEZE! She is not breaking any new ground here. I could do a list but you all know what they are – the mother dies, the sister dies, the girlfriend dies, the male character is a Viet Nam vet… I think actors probably love doing death scenes (to stretch their skills) and they ALL get to look awful.
It’s one thing to deal with an illness that causes pain, but, chronic pain whether it be from injury or diseases like arthritis IS different.
Now, I’m sure there may be other films about it, bit thus far this is the most publicized film addressing this issue–I haven’t seen the film so I won’t delve further.
As someone with two back surgeries under my belt, a non union fracture in my ankle, and a compressed disc in my c-spine let me tell you chronic pain is no joke. The meds only help so much, the depression and fatigue comes in spurts, people inevitably assume you’re over exaggerating the severity of what you feel, and then there’s contending with being unable to do very basic things like dance or run—it’s very isolating and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
IF that’s what this film covers, kudos to the screenwriter, I really can’t think of any other film like that.
House was a cool show but the one thing no one can deny was his addiction, which can be irritating for those of us who follow the rules and still get judged for taking narcotics.
MARIA I’m actually in the same boat you are (chronic pain, wheelchair, painkillers, etc.). Being judged all the time is almost as bad as being sick! And I CANNOT figure out how drug dealers get all those pills when I cannot get a single extra pain pill, ever. I have not seen CAKE, but I’d be surprised if JA tackled problems like doctors under-medicating patients with chronic pain, or how it feels to be isolated, immobile, and dependent on others. But there are plenty of movies that have characters with chronic health problems. There was even a successful film about a guy in an iron lung. I just don’t think her claim is valid.
I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at 33, unfortunately, meds are not effective for me. At the absolute worst, I contemplated and attempted suicide because daily living was absolute torture. For 10 years, I dealt with the immobility and pain as best I could until I discovered I could effectively manage the disease through a very strict diet.
I watched Cake with my daughters. One of them said, “Mom, that lady is like you-she hurts to move.” It was a very good movie-I felt it covered the emotions that people deal with when dealing with chronic pain-emotional and physical. There are other issues the character goes through but, I related with how her physical pain meshed with the emotional turmoil.
ARAS MOM What diet? Please tell!!!
she totes copying Pitt with those shades!
(I feel compelled to point out that the above is sarcasm, lest a super-fan scratch my eyes out.)
yawn
I know how exhausting those super-fans can be.
whyncha take a nap, dear?
Give it a rest.
why? it’s all in fun…lighten up!
🙂
She is tiresome and narcissistic. The world doesn’t revolve around her.
Yep Saint Laurent is being worn a lot lately – wonder why??? I am yet to see a single famous designer proudly acknowledge on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or any other outlets that Jennifer is wearing/wore one of their designs. Again I wonder why as Jennifer is supposed to be so well liked and nice according to some….
I have to give Jennifer this – I can’t remember any recent movies about chronic pain. However I will disagree with the way Jennifer promotes this thing. As someone mentioned above – chronic pain is not only about not wearing makeup etc it’s a lot more complicated then that. Many people suffer through it on the inside and never show it on the outside.
It could be the only story about chronic pain that’s done badly.
I want to like the coat she’s wearing ,but it looks like a towel.
I have fibromyalgia and chronic migraines, and I’m wondering if I would like Cake or find it triggering.
AMY – PLEASE look up chronic fatigue syndrome/ME. I have the same symptoms and just found out I have a mitochondrial disorder that is called REDD. All these weird illnesses – evenGulf Wat Syndrome, post-viral syndromes, chemical sensitivities, etc. – turn out to be related and may have a common cause. There is no cure but apparently supplements can help. Good luck – chronic pain is a lot more serious than not wearing mascara!
Thanks! I will.
Bitch needs to stop her press affront now, and take a seat. Anyone remember Crash?
I haven’t seen the movie, but all this time I thought the movie was about racism (or something to that effect).
No….I was referencing Crash from 1996….wholly different movie. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115964/
Oh the David Cronenberg film. Interesting, I forgot the two movies shared the same title, but with wildly different subject matter.
There is also a movie called Cake out there. It came out in 2005 and starred Heather Graham.
I tried to watch Cake but I just didn’t care about the character and zoned out after about ten minutes. Also the whole premise of the movie just sounds so stupid to me. She has dreams of some dead lady baking her cake? I don’t get why anyone would want to watch that. I’m sure there are better stories about chronic pain, like House MD, that show was awesome and had a great ending.
House was a character WITH chronic pain. Not ABOUT his pain. Cake was. The “Some dead lady” was a woman JA’s character insulted shortly before she committed suicide and became “dead lady”. Its the suicide part that resonates with JA’s character.
I liked it but, as a chronic pain sufferer I was able to relate. Probably not everyone’s cup of tea of course. I learned quickly not to discuss my pain issues to often because quite frankly-who wants to hear about that nonsense!
Clock is ticking. Just 24 hours or so until SAG awards voting ends. Work it, Rachel. Side note: I’m so cynical that I believe she and Theroux hate-watched Unbroken with Chelsea Handler.
lol
I think it’s a fair statement to make. I’ve seen tv shows with characters who deal w/chronic pain i.e. House and Criminal Minds (at some points), but never a movie.
See above, Crash (a very unpleasant movie, BTW).
Wow. Just when I thought I couldn’t detest her more and her deceitful narcissism couldn’t get any worse. There have been MANY movies about chronic pain over the decades, many genuine ones. She truly is as arrogant, narcissistic and delusional as others say. She has no concept of shame or dignity. She disgusts me on levels I didn’t think even existed.
How about listing them all, Amanda, since there are so many films about chronic pain. If you can stop reveling in your disgust long enough to enlighten us.
Amanda, seriously your disgust seems out of proportion to these stories. I can’t imagine having such a high level of hatred for anyone, especially someone I don’t know. How about trying to chill a bit?
come ON, guys…she’s like totally THE WORST PERSON EVER!!!!! she kicks puppies and takes candy from little kids.
(I can’t compete with mimif in the trolling dept.)
🙁
good god, this press tour is exhausting
I agree. I think I’ve actually run out of snark. The damned woman killed my snark!!
lol 😀
I can’t recall another movie where the lead character was a woman in chronic pain, so she may be correct.
Oh, my, she’s actually talking about the movie now. Does she mention any other actors who are in the movie or the director? LOL
no offense to chronic pain sufferers, but I have zero interest in watching a movie about a chronic pain sufferer. Zzzzzzzzz ….
That’s kind of what I was thinking, which is probably why I believed her when she said it was the first movie made about chronic pain.
Apparently she never reads. This does not surprise me.
She just wants a win in some way, so she’s telling things like this. I really don’t think it’s the first movie ever made about chronic pain.
Life before death and the pain diaries are films dealing with chronic pain. A lot of those type films are usually indi films and not always in the mainstream since most won’t go see a movie about pain because they tend to be informitive but very depressing.
Well, it’s not a small indie movie, but it was a groundbreaking Showtime series of a woman living with terminal cancer, The Big C, which aired for four seasons. The always amazing Laura Linney portrayed the character, Cathy, and it was unlike anything done before that I had seen. And having Stage IV cancer means you are living with chronic pain. She won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her portrayal.
It was a series about cancer though, not chronic pain. Lots of things cause pain–hell, reading these silly, hateful posts causes me pain. But cmon. By your definition, every war movie is also about chronic pain. Every cowboy film with a gunfight in it is, too, I guess. Every film about childbirth. But the key word here isn’t PAIN, Jayna–it’s CHRONIC. That’s something entirely separate from situational or episodic pain. But then, you know what *chronic* means. As in, chronic hatefulness without any rational cause.
LahdidahBaby, yes chronic hatefulness seems to be an epidemic for sure.
As for chronic pain, well said. There was an interesting piece in the New Yorker by Laura Hillenbrand, author of Unbroken (kind of ironic) about the chronic fatigue and pain she has battled for most of her adult life. I had no idea that she’s researched and written entire books without ever leaving her bed. Not only is it a painful existence, it’s really isolating.
Esmom, thanks, that sounds like a piece worth reading – I’ll def look it up. (I love the NY’er but let my subscription die last year because it’s packed with so much interesting stuff and to have all that coming to my house once a week began to feel like an obligation – I felt awful when I couldn’t make time to read it.
As for the chronic hatefulness, I think there’s no remedy for that, because to be cured of anything you have to want to be cured, and the chronically hateful don’t want to lose their reason for living.
Who really cares if this is the first movie on chronic pain. I’m glad its shining any light on this horrible health issue affecting so many Americans these days. It sucks to realize you have to deal with some sort of physical pain on a daily basis without reprieve.
I have suffered with back pain/sciatica off and on since my late teens after a roll over car accident. It comes and goes but the older I get the more it stays. I wake up each day now in some kind of pain. I can no longer sleep on my left side as I’ve done my whole life. I have to sleep with a pillow between my knees so I’m comfortable enough to drop off to sleep too. However, my pain is definitely not on the chronic level of some of the posters here. I work it out with stretching, tylenol and lots of creams and heating pads. It’s when my pain gets to the level that I have to take prednisone, soma or pain killers that I can’t stand it. I can’t imagine having that level of pain every single day. I applaud all of you that are suffering through it. That is all.
The chronic pain of jennifer aniston is that she always hooks up with these stupidities.
I don’t mind if they wanted to build jennifer up, but are reporters really need to use these stupidest words which make both of them look so dumb and ignorant?
in the movie Good girl there is no acting, she just showed no emotions throughout the whole movie. in Cake she was playing Rachel in her mid 40s