Name : Betsy Sharkey / Alias : Los Angeles Times
For all the pain, grief, sadness and suicide that layers Cake, it is a serious treat to see the actress stretch herself. Hopefully this film won't turn out to be a single slice.

Name : Wesley Morris / Alias : Grantland
The movie is actually smart about the seriousness of grief without being oppressive itself. And [Aniston's] performance is equally intelligent.

Name : Justin Chang / Alias : Variety
At the last minute, "Cake" becomes a film not about chronic pain, but a different subject entirely, and one about which it doesn't have all that much new to say.

Name : Sheri Linden / Alias : Los Angeles Times
It's a letdown that the film itself, written by Patrick Tobin and directed by Daniel Barnz, doesn't take half the chances its leading lady does and is content to paddle around the shallows rather than plunge into the deep end.

Name : Claudia Puig / Alias : USA Today
Nothing about Cake is remotely tempting or sweet.