Socks and Cakes (2010 Video) User Reviews (7)

Exceptional Dramedy

[OfficerLugar1955 · 9/10 · 6 September 2010]

SOCKS AND CAKES, written and directed by Antonio Padovan, is an exceptional blend of comedy and drama, telling the tale of five friends who get together for a dinner party, only to discover deep, hidden truths about themselves and each other.

Embittered French literature professor Harry Mogulevsky (Timothy J. Cox) still carries a torch for his ex-wife Amanda (Kirsty Meares) who seems to be having problems of her own with current husband Richard (Jeff Moffitt) who has eyes for real estate whiz David's (Ben Prayz) latest conquest, the sexy and vivacious Sophie (Alex Vincent).

Padovan's film is nicely paced throughout, taking care not to make the affair too maudlin or depressing. It moves quite swiftly and balances the comedy and drama nicely.

The film receives an A+ for some excellent camera work, compliments of director of photography Alessandro Penazzi.

Of the cast, Cox and Meares are stand outs, but Ben Prayz is equally impressive in his gloriously theatrical turn as the always grinning David.

Well done!

Well Acted Dramedy

[FilmGurl81 · 8/10 · 27 August 2010]

Antonio Padovan's well acted, but bafflingly titled dramedy SOCKS AND CAKES tells the tale of five New Yorkers trying to piece together their broken lives over a dinner party.

The film is exquisitely shot and edited, but the poor title may affect the films' chances at any future consideration in festivals.

To this viewer, the title SOCKS AND CAKES conjures up an image of a children's story with lollipops and cotton candy, which director Padovan's film certainly is not.

On a very positive note, the film is extremely well acted by a solid cast, including Timothy J. Cox's stellar performance as an embittered and lonely college professor looking to find some meaning in his life. Equally impressive is Kirsty Meares' fine turn as Cox's ex-wife, a woman coming to grips with the loss of yet another marriage.

Padovan and his director of photography Alessandro Penazzi are to be commended for their impressive work, but the title really baffles me.

Too Much Like A Play

[FrankLopez83 · 7/10 · 6 September 2010]

The short film SOCKS AND CAKES shows a glimpse into the lives of five people who get together for a dinner party in Lower Manhattan.

The party turns out to be a not so pleasant affair though, with each character confronting some inner demons, as well as downing large amounts of red wine.

Written and directed by Antonio Padovan, the film looks nice and moves at a swift pace and does feature some nice performances, especially from Timothy J. Cox, a fine turn as a boozy literature professor, but overall, the script felt too theatrical to me, better suited to a black box theater in the West Village.

Top Notch!

[LoveGuru2010 · 10/10 · 17 September 2010]

Antonio Padovan's stellar SOCKS AND CAKES is a bittersweet drama about friends who don't really know each other and people who do not even know themselves.

Five friends meet for a dinner party at an apartment in Greenwich Village, but the party turns out to be something more, as each individual brings their baggage to the party and unloads said baggage all over the place, with startling results.

Take Harry, (Timothy J. Cox) a misanthropic literature professor, down on life, who when he's not trying to date one his students, is still carrying a torch for his ex-wife Amanda (Kirsty Meares) who is now married to Harry's best friend, Richard (Jeff Moffitt), an architect. They've having problems of their own, due mostly to Richard's wandering, lustful eye. Add real estate whiz David (Ben Prayz) and his current sexual conquest Sophie (Alex Vincent) and you have a party.

The tag line for the film is "All will be revealed," and it is, although I wanted more. This film, which now clocks in at about 15 minutes, has feature potential. The characters are sharply, etched portraits of people in turmoil; turmoil about where their lives have gone and where they haven't.

Timothy J. Cox brings considerable warmth and heart to the role of the downtrodden Harry, a man who wants to feel again, feel anything...to have passion and joy in his life again.

Kirsty Meares is magnetic in the emotionally demanding role of Amanda, bringing a searing rage as a woman coming to grips with the loss of her second marriage.

With his Cheshire Cat grin, Ben Prayz scores as the hot shot David, while Jeff Moffitt and Alex Vincent provide palpable sexual tension in their flirtations as Richard and Sophie.

SOCKS AND CAKES is one worth seeing!

Great Acting

[Luvah11 · 10/10 · 17 September 2010]

Great acting draws me in and if that's what you fancy, then I suggest you check out the dramatic short SOCKS AND CAKES, from Antonio Padovan.

The film stars Jeff Moffitt as Richard, a successful architect who is hosting a dinner party with his film director wife Amanda (Kirsty Meares) at their Manhattan apartment.

It's going to be a small affair...just them and a couple of close friends, including Harry (Timothy J. Cox), Richard's best friend and Amanda's ex-husband.

A professor of French literature, Harry's down on life at the moment, wondering where it's all gone, the joy, the fun, the purpose. He spends the bulk of his time checking out real estate properties he never intends to buy and trying unsuccessfully to date his own students. Writers have writers block; Harry has life block. Right now, he's not letting anything or anyone in. That is, except Amanda. We discover that Harry still has feelings for Amanda, who is having problems of her own, namely that she thinks...knows...that her marriage is falling apart.

Enter the other guests, David (Ben Prayz) and his girlfriend Sophie (Alex Vincent). Harry detests David, as he suspects that he and Amanda were intimate at one time. Taken aback by Sophie's beauty, he wonders how and why she's with a schmuck like David.

Almost immediately, Richard is also quite taken aback by Sophy and his flirtations begin.

It's one of those parties.

Antonio Padovan's film is extremely well made, but it is the acting that saves the day.

Alex Vincent is simply luminous as the sexy and free spirited Sophie, while Ben Prayz charms in his performance as the egocentric David.

Jeff Moffitt moves swiftly as Richard, but the stand outs from the cast are Kirsty Meares, who is exceptional in her work as the emotionally fragile Amanda and Timothy J. Cox, pitch perfect in his moving turn as a broken shell of a man looking to find his way back into the light.

Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!

Outstanding Script and Cast!

[WiseauIsMessiah · 9/10 · 9 November 2010]

The drama SOCKS AND CAKES, written and directed with aplomb by Antonio Padovan, is an engaging character study about the petty jealousies and unhappiness all of us face on the deep, dark road to love and understanding.

Timothy J. Cox leads a stellar cast as Harry, a rumpled literature professor, still in love with his ex-wife Amanda (Kirsty Meares), now married to the suave, but not so smooth Richard (Jeff Moffitt).

Harry is a guest at a dinner party hosted by Amanda and Richard in their Greenwich Village apartment. Other guests at the party include the ultra cocky David (Ben Prayz) and his charming French girlfriend Sophie (Alex Vincent). The tag line for the film is ''all will be revealed'' and I will leave it at that, as I don't wish to give too much away, but I way say the the tag line does not lie.

Padovan's script shows us the angst, the tears and insecurities that come with relationships, but he also shows us the fear and turmoil that often comes with living within one's own skin. The films' focus is mostly on Harry and Amanda; his loss of the only woman who may have truly loved him and her, the loss of her second marriage.

The results are heartbreaking and heartwarming and credit goes to Padovan's outstanding script and to the fantastic performances of Timothy J. Cox and Kirsty Meares, each showing us individuals filled with primal doubts about their own existence.

We've Been Here Before

[LovelyCarol · 6/10 · 17 September 2010]

SOCKS AND CAKES, billed as a dramedy, is writer/director Antonio Padovan's look at the lives of five New Yorkers at a dinner party in the Village, hosted by Richard and Amanda (Jeff Moffitt and Kirsty Meares).

Their guests include real estate master David (Ben Prayz), his girlfriend Sophie (Alex Vincent) and Amanda's ex-husband Harry (Timothy J. Cox), a down-on-himself college professor.

What starts out as a party turns into an evening where each guest tries to piece together the broken parts of their lives.

It had potential, but we've seen it all before.

Padovan's film tries very hard to mirror the best films of Woody Allen ("Manhattan"m "Hannah and Her Sisters") and to a lesser extent "The Big Chill", but the results are mixed.

The title is a mystery to me. For one, it's a very childish sounding title. Two, it has nothing to do with the story that is being told.

The acting is a mixed bag. Cox and Meares score as the melancholy college professor and his ex-wife, respectively, while Moffitt does nothing with his role as the womanizing Richard. Then again, he was given very little to do in the script.

It is a competently made film from director Antonio Padovan and his director of photography Alessandro Penazzi, but overall, the whole affair seems like the start of a promising film, but never quite gets off the ground.