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

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 : 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 : Peter Debruge / Alias : Variety
The formula may be familiar, but the personalities are completely fresh, yielding a menagerie of loveable - if downright ugly - cartoon critters banding together to help these two incompatible roommates from ending up on the streets.

Name : Cath Clarke / Alias : Time Out
Some funny-sweet observations about pets and our projections on to them.

Name : Jordan Mintzer / Alias : Hollywood Reporter
A film that starts off impressively but gradually tires itself out with a loud and loopy caper plot, taking a clever idea to mostly familiar places in the long run.