Socks and Cakes (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.

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!

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.

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.