Family, loyalty, murder and food—sounds like a mob movie basis, and that’s sort of what actor Shiloh Fernandez’s latest role in ‘The Birthday Cake’ is about. But more so, Jimmy Giannopoulos’ feature film debut has a centralized focus and intertwined dynamic about self-discovery and family, or exploring what that word really means beyond DNA.
Set over the course of one night, Gio (Fernandez) sets out on the 10th anniversary of his father’s death (and birthday coincidentally) with a cake that we learn his mother makes every year for his Uncle Angelo’s (Val Kilmer) party. On the way to the house of his Uncle with obvious mob ties, Gio makes a few stops. It’s during these interactions (with just an insane amount of recognizable faces for the cast) that Gio uncovers more and more about his family and who actually has his back.
