“Cake Eaters” resonates with hometown crowd
The Daily Mail
Mar. 20, 2009

CATSKILL — The first audience to view “The Cake Eaters” in Greene County murmured excitedly when familiar places including Catskill’s Green Lake Homestead resort, The Iron Horse Bar, in Hudson, and DiStefano’s Meat Market, in Cairo, appeared before them on the big screen in the Community Theater, in Catskill.

The theater’s marquee and any given train’s whistle as it passes the town are also featured in the movie, which was filmed here in 2006.

Several moviegoers said the filming locations contributed to the picture’s realism.

“It didn’t have that slick Hollywood feel,” Ron Tunison said after the premier.

His wife, Alice, who is a councilwoman in the Town of Cairo, agreed.

She said the story, which explores new and old relationships in two families after the return of one family’s son, was something that could take place in any of the towns in the area.

“It was very real, it was very believable,” she said.

The film stars Kristen Stewart (“Twilight”) as Georgia Kaminski, a terminally ill teenage girl who wants to enjoy life and love before she dies. She befriends Beagle, played by Aaron Stanford of the “X-Men” film series, who is coming to terms with the recent death of his mother and return of his brother, Guy, played by the film’s writer, Jayce Bartok. Elizabeth Ashley, who was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on “Evening Shade,” stars as Georgia’s grandmother, who shares a secret with the boys’ father, played by Bruce Dern (“Black Sunday”).

Best actress Oscar nominee Melissa Leo (“Frozen River”) and Jesse L. Martin (“Law and Order”) are also featured in the film.

“The Cake Eaters” will be shown at Community Theater today at 2 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. and weekday evenings at 7:15 through Thursday.

The film’s director, Mary Stuart Masterson, will hold a question and answer session after today’s 7 p.m. showing.

Although the plot’s slow pace was not a hit with all its teenage viewers, students at Catskill High School enjoyed seeing their school on film.

“It was pretty cool,” William Meyer said.

His classmate Alex Irzarry said Georgia’s longing for love resonated with today’s teens.

“People talk about losing their virginity a lot,” Irzarry said.

He and his friends agreed that the serious film had some humorous moments.

Greene County Judge Daniel K. Lalor and his wife Susan, whose riverside Athens summer home was prominently featured as the Kaminskis’ house, were also in the audience.

Susan Lalor said that seeing her home brought a mixture of weird and wonderful feelings.

She said the house was chosen for its somewhat rundown appearance.

“Now I look at it and say, ‘God, that needs to be painted,’” she said.

She said that watching the shooting, which took only a few days, go from start to finish was exhilarating.

Filming took place at several other Catskill locations, including the cemetery on Thompson Street and at houses on Grand Street and Cauterskill Avenue, she said.

Barber Bobby Meo can be seen reading a newspaper in one scene that takes place in his barbershop on Main Street.

Catskill resident Noreen Wilson, who enjoyed the story as well as its setting, said she would buy the DVD after its release Tuesday.

“Oh, absolutely,” she said.