The Mayo Clinic defines Narcissistic Mental Disorder as a disease in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of ultra-confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that's vulnerable to the slightest criticism.
In the movie, Simply Perfect, Tiff, the narcissistic mother, covers up the profound dysfunction she creates in her family. She’s smart, good-looking and seductive which enables her to hide behind much of her sadistic behavior…but not forever. As her own dark past surfaces, she systematically destroys every relationship in her inner circle. Bree, her youngest daughter, who initially cracks under her mother’s tyranny, heroically finds her own identity. Nicki, the eldest, numbs her pain with drugs and eventually ends up in prison. Aidan, Tiff’s husband, finds comfort in the affection of a family friend…the same friend whose company makes the Simply Perfect cakes. Although this family drama is tragic at its core, it’s juxtaposed with a beautiful rose garden, sexual desire and a Simply Perfect chocolate layered cake that makes it all weirdly delicious.