Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video is the drama, Sitting in Bars with Cake. The movie – inspired by true events – is directed by Trish Sie, and stars Yara Shahidi, Odessa A’zion, and Bette Midler.
In the movie, Jane and Corrine are flatmates and best friends. Both work office jobs, which pay the rent and keep things ticking along, but when Jane isn’t working, she likes to bake cakes with unusual ingredients.
On the night of Corrine’s birthday, Jane takes her most recent creation – Corrine’s birthday cake – down to the local bar. The cake becomes a talking point during the evening, and attracts the attention of a couple of guys who then show an interest in Corrine and Jane.
After seeing how well the cake went down with a couple of strangers, Corrine has an idea. She suggests Jane should start baking cakes specifically to take to bars, in order to meet more men.
The plan works very well, but is soon interrupted when Corrine is hit by a life-changing health diagnosis. In an instant, Corrine’s world is thrown upside down, and it appears as if everything will have to change.
But keen not to let hospitals and doctors appointments take over every waking hour, Corrine remains determined to continue the cake plan. Jane agrees and the two carry on, balancing cake dates with cancer treatments, all while dealing with the reality of Corrine’s situation.
Heartfelt and occasionally quite emotional, Sitting in Bars with Cake is a well intentioned, if somewhat slight picture. The film’s heart is in the right place, and it’s certainly not a bad movie, but despite its interesting premise and decent central cast, it doesn’t quite hit its mark.
For some reason, Sitting in Bars with Cake is devoid of the wow factor. All the ingredients are there, and everyone is pulling in the right direction, but the end product lacks flavour.
The inclusion of Bette Midler also seems out of place. Midler’s casting as Jane and Corrine’s boss seems to suggest this film is going to be comical in places, which it really isn’t, and her screen time ends up being more of a distraction than a delight (sorry, Bette).
Love Midler as I do, I just don’t understand her inclusion in this picture. Other than being a nod to Midler’s movie Beaches, which deals with some similar story material, her casting is completely out of place and adds nothing.
On the plus side, the film’s themes of friendship and endurance in the face of hardship come across quite strongly, and for the most part there’s a fairly even tone. The interaction between the two leads is also very effective, with Yara Shahidi and Odessa A’zion selling the idea of a genuine friendship between Jane and Corrine.
These two are the drive force of the picture, they are the heart and soul, as well as the emotional core. When Sitting in Bars with Cake is at its best, it is during the quieter moments when these two interact, and when the impact of Corrine’s illness becomes quite evident.
This is all good stuff. As for the rest of the film? It’s mostly only so-so.
There’s nothing about Sitting in Bars with Cake which is particularly terrible, but it’s also not a must-see movie. At best it is a bit of a mixed bag, with occasional strong moments.
If you fancy giving it a go, you may find some of it works for you, just don’t expect to be bowled over. It tries, but doesn’t quite succeed.
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