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Pieces of April

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April (Katie Holmes) is a young woman estranged from her family and living with her boyfriend Bobby (Derek Luke) in a mildly run down apartment building on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Aprils' mother, Joy (Patricia Clarkson), is being treated for advanced cancer and may not live long, so April has invited her family for Thanksgiving dinner in hopes of favorably impressing her mother and improving their relationship while there is still time. The family -Joy, father Jim (Oliver Platt), brother Timmy (John Gallagher, Jr.), and sister Beth, (Alison Pill)- piles in their car for the long and stressful trip to the city, while April prepares the meal. But things get off to a bad start when her oven won't work.

"Pieces of April" was written and directed by Peter Hedges. It's a wonderful examination of family and an engaging portrait of these individuals who are so disparate in personality yet linked to one another by hope and tradition. And "Pieces of April" is an testament to the opportunities modern technologies provide to filmmakers with few resources. The film was shot in 16 days on digital video for $300,000. And, incredibly, the only glaring evidence of these limitations is the absence of wide-angle shots. Director Peter Hedges didn't use wide shots because they are problematic on DV. The result is that occasionally our field of view seems unnaturally truncated, but not enough to detract from the quality of the film.

I was a little surprised to learn that great thespians Patricia Clarkson and Oliver Platt and a young star like Katie Holmes would agree to such a low-budget production, but I imagine this fantastic script captured their interest. Peter Hedges' dialogue is crisp and forceful, and his characterizations are interesting and so genuine that these people might be your neighbors. Great actors, a great script, and resourceful direction can apparently create a terrific film with very little else. There is little I can say about Patricia Clarkson's performance except that she is brilliant as always. April's mother, Joy, is hypercritical, blunt, but a font of emotional strength, and no one could play this memorable character better. Oliver Platt departs from the quirky characters for which he is famous to play Jim, Joy's even-tempered tolerant husband. The supporting cast is large and perfect without exception: Alison Pill, who plays April's teenaged sister Beth, is destined to be a great character actress. Derek Luke, of "Antwone Fisher" fame, this time plays a man who is confident and comfortable with himself. All of April's neighbors are portrayed vividly, but especially memorable are Isiah Whitlock, Jr. and Lillias White as Eugene & Evette and Sean Hayes as nutty neighbor Wayne.

"Pieces of April" is an engaging, ultimately optimistic, family drama that is somehow both idiosyncratic and universally true. Great performances. Great script. This is the best Thanksgiving movie I've seen. I can't recommend it more highly.

The DVD: There are 2 unavoidable previews. Both widescreen and full screen formats are on the same disc! Bonus features include a "making of " documentary entitled "All the Pieces Together", an audio commentary by writer/director Peter Hedges, and a theatrical trailer. The documentary includes interviews with the film's cast and Peter Hedges, in which he discusses the film's genesis. Hedges also does a nice audio commentary in which he talks about the film's themes, story, and technical stuff. If you really like the film, the extras are worth watching. Hedges' commentary may be of particular interest to aspiring filmmakers seeking insight into how to get the most out of a small budget. At the very least it is inspiring on that level.

You may have seen the famous Norman Rockwell painting, "Freedom from Want", which depicts the idealized American family gathered around the quintessential Thanksgiving table as the turkey is presented for carving. PIECES OF APRIL it's not.

April Burns (Katie Holmes) lives in a New York City apartment with her boyfriend Bobby (Derek Luke), and the film opens as the two begin to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for the rest of April's family, which is driving in from out of town for the ordeal.

Joy Burns (Patricia Clarkson) is dying of the metastatic cancer that has already cost her both her breasts, a surgical transformation suitably documented in the family photo album. She expects this Thanksgiving to be a disaster since daughter April was a more into drugs than Home Ec. Indeed, to say she and April are estranged is an understatement. But husband Jim (Oliver Platt) persuades her, so off they go in the station wagon with their other children, daughter Beth (Alison Pill) and son Timmy (John Gallagher), and Joy's senile mother Dottie (Alice Drummond) for what may well be Joy's last Thanksgiving.

In the meantime, as Bobby goes out on a mysterious errand, April is faced with a non-functional oven, which forces her to desperately beg the other tenants in the building for the necessary range time to cook the traditional bird. Time is running short, and the rest of the clan is getting closer despite frequent stops for Joy to vomit from the nausea induced by her chemotherapy. And it also appears that the family doesn't know that April lives in a decrepit tenement in a graffiti-decorated slum, nor that Bobby is Black. The Burns festive occasion promises to make your dysfunctional Turkey Day look like a Martha Stewart showcase event in comparison.

Clarkson was deservedly nominated for, but didn't receive, an Oscar for this performance in a supporting role. She's more the "star" of PIECES OF APRIL than the ostensible lead, Holmes. The Bobby, Beth and Timmy characters are almost an unnecessary distraction. More interesting are April's neighbors which give her help, or not, especially the very strange Wayne (Sean Hayes) and the middle-age Afro-American couple, Evette (Lillias White) and Eugene (Isiah Whitlock). There's an especially good scene involving Evette's initial reaction to April when the latter first appears seeking help for her culinary crisis.

The movie's abrupt conclusion after eighty-one minutes leaves much to be desired. One wonders if the scriptwriter ran out of ideas or the producers out of money. But there's still enough there to make the film more than worth the cost of the rental. And, next Thanksgiving with the relatives, perhaps you won't take those mashed potatoes for granted.

I tell you one thing; a movie about a girl baking a turkey does not sound like it's going to be interesting or even remotely entertaining. In fact, to be completely honest the only reason I was interested in seeing `Pieces of April' was because I had a huge crush on Katie Holmes for a while (that was before she went cuckoo for Cruise puffs) and it really wasn't until Patricia Clarkson got the Oscar nomination for her performance in the film that I made my mind up to actually see it. I'm so glad that I did, for `Pieces of April' is not only entertaining and interesting, but it is such an emotionally connected piece. It was something that proved to be so much more than I expected it to be.

I'm stunned, literally stunned, at the finished product.

Katie Holmes plays April Burns, the wayward daughter of Jim and Joy Burns. Having straightened her life out to the best of her ability, April decides that she needs to reconnect with her family, which includes her brother Timmy and her sister Beth. The task of having her family over for Thanksgiving dinner though, proves to be a little more than April bargained for. There to hold her together is her supportive boyfriend Bobby. Add to the strain of seeing her disapproving and judgmental family the fact that her mother Joy is dying of cancer and you have a very stressful and nerve-racking day. The film follows April as she prepares for her family's arrival as well as follows her family as they travel to see her.

What I appreciate so much about this film is, having been in a very similar situation with my own `wayward' sister, it fleshes out quite accurately the different ways in which family members deal with the situation. You have the father who so badly wants to see the good in April, his eldest daughter and obvious heartbeat. You have the mother who is so tired of the drama and the disappointment that she'd rather not have to deal with her at all. This doesn't mean she doesn't love her daughter or have affection for her. Rather, it's the type of love that burns so much within a person that you would rather avoid the ones you love than see them in yet another degrading situation. You also have the sister who resents April for what she has done to the family. She comes off as cruel and rude but on the inside she is just hurt. Last you have the brother who doesn't exactly know how to deal with the issues. He loves his sister and may or may not even truly understand why everyone is so up in arms over her life. All he sees is that fact that she is his sister, his flesh and blood, and that's all that matters to him.

The performances within the film are glorious, and I mean that in everyway possible. Patricia Clarkson is phenomenal as Joy, truly heartbreaking and real. Oliver Platt serves up one of his finest performances to date as Jim; you can really feel his pain, his turmoil. John Gallagher Jr. and Alison Pill depict April's siblings with honesty and realism and Derek Luke is wonderful, if not a tad underused, as Bobby. I just love where this kid is headed. Everything he's done so far has been top notch, even when the film isn't. Alice Drummond is memorable as Grandma Dottie and Sean Hayes has a very strange yet memorable role in the film as well. All of these performances just further accentuate the marvelous Katie Holmes. This performance proves that she has talent behind those good looks. She captivates as April, really getting under her skin and making her real to us. I felt her every emotion, and when she breaks down towards the end, feeling as though her family has abandoned her my eyes actually began to tear (it really doesn't take much; I'm a tad emotional).

In the end I must admit to being in love with this movie. It feels so real to me, like a chapter out of my childhood. I've been here before and I've seen these very same emotions on full display and I'm beside myself with admiration for the fact that written/director Peter Hedges got it right.

PIECES OF APRIL is not the type of movie to take your breath away. It is predictable in many ways, yet it's also surprising enough of the time to make it well worth watching. I call it a slight movie because it has relaxed pacing, a short running time and a low budget. None of these are criticisms, per se...just trying to give you the idea that this movie FEELS like an independant film. The movie is shot on digital video (...). This is good, because a movie like this probably wouldn't get made at all if real film stock were used. And I'm glad it WAS made...if only to enjoy some standout performances.

It tells the story of one family's trip to visit their "troubled" daughter (and sister) who now lives in New York City and has been more or less estranged (except for calls asking for money) for quite some time. This is intercut with the drama of April trying to get the Thanksgiving dinner together for her family. She obviously seldom cooks at all, because she discovers that her oven doesn't work. Clearly, she's never TRIED to use it before. So she is forced to go from neighbor to neighbor asking for help with cooking her turkey. We meet the neighbors in some amusing (though a bit unbelievable) vignettes. Katie Holmes plays April, and it's a good departure for her. In the past, she's either been kinda "sweet and innocent" as in Dawson's Creek or trying to shock us with nudity. In this film, she has rough edges, but there's no gratuitous flesh. However, it's also hard to buy April as a REBEL. She dresses the part, but never seems in the least bit threatening. What, exactly, does she really have against her family.

The family, meanwhile, is just dealing with the stress of making the trip. Patricia Clarkson is the mother, and she's clearly near the end stages of breast cancer. Unspoken is the fact that everyone knows this will be her last Thanksgiving, and perhaps her last chance to "make amends" with April. Oliver Platt is the long-suffering husband. There are two teenage kids as well, along with grandma, whom they pick up from her retirement home. Their little car is crowded with bickering, and sometimes, it gets to be a bit much. However, there are some great moments too. Clarkson gives a brave performance in the best written part. She's not just the sympathetic victim. She can be QUITE unpleasant, not afraid to snap at her family for imagined slights. We see how the stress of her affliction has amplified her weaknesses of personality. Love comes through too, sometimes, but we see she's really turned inwards in many ways and isn't too anxious to make accomodations for the feelings of others. It feels believable, and Clarkson (a great actor) is superb. And Oliver Platt has his moments too...particularly one brief scene where they've just reached the city. He looks over to the passenger seat and sees his sick wife asleep. Or IS she?? His momentary conviction that she has died stabs us through the heart. It turns out she isn't, but his fear and then his queesy relief are TOTALLY convincing. It might be the best 15 seconds committed to an independant film in quite awhile.

Anyway, will they all get together? How will it go? This is somewhat predictable, but these scenes are presented with imagination enough to make us forgive some cliches.

The movie also features a nice performance by African-American actor Derek Luke. I only mention the race, because as April's new boyfriend, we just KNOW that when the family meets him, there will be raised eyebrows at best. We get to know him, and realise that HE is the reason April seems to be motivated to get her act together. He has brought love and happiness and a desire to build a relationship to her life. He has also encouraged her to restore her fractured relationships. It's a noble act he has performed, and Luke's warmth towards Holmes is touching. So, we anticipate the family's first meeting with him.

The movie has a little harsh language, and Luke and Holmes have a bedroom "tussle" early on, so I don't recommend the movie for kids. But it IS gentle and ultimately very affirmative.

Don't buy the DVD though. It's not the type of movie you'll watch over and over (and it's only 81 minutes long) and the extras are SKIMPY at best.

Shooting for observational humor and pain on a shoestring budget, Oscar-nominated writer ("Gilbert Grape","About a Boy") and first-time director Peter Hedges almost misses as much as he hits. That said, "Pieces of April" is definitely worth 81 minutes of your time.

Consider yourself warned: This baby pulls no punches. Whether it's cancer, family cruelty, life in New York City slums, or even roadside restrooms, Hedges keeps things stark. This ain't your mother's Lifetime Network Thanksgiving movie. But if you've ever had terminal illness touch the holidays, felt rejected by the ones you feel should love you most, or put up with the last straw from a self-destructive relative, you'll find truth, commiseration, and knowing laughter here.

Hedges wrote this while grieving his mother's death at the hands of cancer. The immediacy and indignity of the illness are vivid and are handled with honesty and skill. Keeping April's mother sympathetic without losing her cynicism and insensitivity requires deft acting chops, and Patricia Clarkson not only rises to the challenge but owns it.

The atmospheric and semi-documentary style of the movie is often spoiled by forced jokes and contrived situations that remind you you're watching a movie. This feeling is further aggravated by all the name actors in the cast. It's hard to see Holmes, Platt, Clarkson, Luke, and Hayes in this $200K film without thinking, "Boy, did they take a pay cut to do this one." Holmes' angelic face peeking out from under the Goth make-up and Hayes' overly-mannered "I'm Not Just Jack" performance have a similar effect. This requires taking suspension of disbelief to a third level. But it's doable.

Some will find it pretentious, others inspiring. Just like the holidays!

Anyone who doesn't identify with at least one person, scene, or incident in this fabulous, endearing, funny, sad movie has led a very sheltered life (or grown up on another planet). While the characters and dialogue may be a bit exagerrated at times, this movie is truly a eye-opening depiction of the "nuclear" family. 'Fess up - we ALL have a family like this in one respect or another. April's fiasco with the turkey is original and hilarious. There is nothing not to enjoy here.

This is the sort of film that indie-flicks should be -- a small well-developed cast and a tight little script. "Pieces of April" is a bittersweet little feel-good movie. It tends to stumble when it focuses on April and her turkey, but the scarred sentimentality and wry comedy make up for that.

April (Katie Holmes) is a pigtailed wild child in a dingy New York apartment. She and her extremely understanding boyfriend Bobby (Derek Luke) have invited her estranged family to dinner, even though resentment still bubbles on each side. Her mother Joy (Patricia Clarkson) is seriously ill with breast cancer, the reason why they want to get together to make "happy memories."

The family travel to New York, questioning why they are going, especially since none of them have ever gotten along with April. Meanwhile, April discovers that her stove is broken, and goes on a wild chase through the apartment building, trying to find an available oven to roast the bird in before her family arrives. After a few dead ends (including a creep whose toupee she steals), she manages to find a lovely family who helps. But that might not be enough to bring her family into her life...

"Pieces of April" is a good mix of comedy and drama, taking a look at family, love, and togetherness. No overwhelming soundtrack. No costly sets. Not even a terribly original idea. Only a couple of major names. Yet it does manage to be a sweet little flick that will leave you smiling, especially as the neighbors cluster together in April's apartment for the dinner they helped her to make.

This is also Peter Hedges' directorial debut, after penning movies like "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" and "About A Boy." He takes a little too much advantage of the shakycam, but it actually adds a slightly more realistic feel. And it's wincingly funny as Holmes frantically flails through food preparation, trying to get cranberry sauce out of the can, and mashing raw potatoes.

April's comedic dash through the apartment building is the most lightweight part of the whole thing. At times it gets too thinly stretched-out and even a little dull. And a bit silly -- calling the cops to report a kidnapped roast turkey? Her family's trip to New York -- where they wrestle with their old demons and resentment -- is the real plot, and where Hedges really gets to shine. It's tense, funny, sad, and full of genuine feeling.

Katie Holmes is sadly given little to do except rush around looking stressed. But it's Patricia Clarkson makes this movie -- facing her own illness and mortality, she snarls, purrs, cries and looks back on her life. John Gallagher Jr. and Alison Pill are good as April's photographer brother and insufferably snotty sister, Oliver Platt is decent as April's supportive dad, and Derek Luke is nothing short of delightful as April's loving boyfriend.

"Pieces of April" is the opposite of a summer blockbuster -- well-written, amusing and well-characterized. Worth watching with your loved ones around you.

Pieces of April is such a sweet, lovely, and heartfelt movie. Katie Holmes is pitch-perfect as the title character April. This is her best film, she is flawless and unforgettable. She is the dark horse of her family, she has never had a solid relationship with her mother who is now dying of breast cancer. Her mother is played by Patricia Clarkson (oscar-nominated role),her character is cruel, moody, and trying her hardest to make amends with her rebellious daughter. April invites her family to her apartment for a "nice" Thanksgiving dinner, things go array when April discovers her oven is not working. This film is only an 1 hour and 12 minutes long and I think this movie is perfectly fine in length. Pieces of April is a very intelligent indie film, forget about her work on Dawson's Creek, Holmes is a true and talented actress here.

April (Katie Holmes) is the black sheep - we can all relate, right? Well, not only does April manage to pull off the biggest miracle since 42nd street, but she does it in a manner which brings everyone together. From the sarcastic-turned-sympathetic Evette and Eugene, to the weird-in-every-role Sean Hayes to the Chinese family that takes pity, everyone comes together in a spiritual and heartwarming conclusion that makes you wish you were part of it.

If you have ever had a bad Thanksgiving you'll want to see this. If you have ever felt left out or misunderstood, you'll also want to see this. If you've fulfilled all your dreams and wish nothing bad upon us that haven't you'll still want to see this. It is simply heartwarming, and though I never cry at anything, I cried watching this movie. Twice.

A terrific little indie film focusing on April, played by Katie Holmes of Wonder Boys. She's the black sheep of her suburban family, and she's living in a really ratty walk-up apartment in NYC with her latest boyfriend. Her mom, wonderfully and poignantly played by Patricia Clarkson in a role that allows her to portray a whole palette of human emotions from hope to rage, is struggling with a poor cancer prognosis. April has never gotten along with anyone in her family, except perhaps her dad - a sweet guy who tries hard to keep all the pieces together in an epic car ride to NY. They're headed into the City, where April, who can't cook toast, has taken on the job of fixing Thanksgiving dinner, as a gesture of healing for the family.
Needless to say, fiasco follows fiasco - and it's funny and outrageous and heartbreaking.
Wonderful emotional conclusion that steers wide of being sappy.