Pieces of April

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Pieces of April
Original poster
Directed by	Peter Hedges
Produced by	Gary Winick
Written by	Peter Hedges
Starring	Katie Holmes Derek Luke Oliver Platt Patricia Clarkson
Music by	Stephen Merritt
Cinematography	Tami Reiker
Editing by	Mark Livolsi
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date(s)	October 17, 2003
Running time	80 minutes
Country
Language	English
Budget	$300,000
Gross revenue	$2,360,184
Official website
IMDb profile

Pieces of April is a 2003 American dramedy film written and directed by Peter Hedges. In his commentary on the film's DVD release, Hedges says the inspiration for his screenplay was twofold - his mother's battle with and death from cancer, and a true story about a group of friends whose plans to prepare a communal Thanksgiving dinner were thwarted by a broken stove.

The film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival.

1 Plot synopsis
2 Cast
3 Critical reception
4 Awards and nominations
5 See Also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Plot synopsis

April Burns, the eldest daughter in a highly dysfunctional family, lives in a small tenement apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan with her boyfriend Bobby. Although estranged from her family, she opts to invite them for Thanksgiving dinner, probably the last for her mother Joy, who is coping with breast cancer. The film focuses on three journeys: the family's arduous trek from suburbia to New York City, one puncutated by stops for Krispy Kreme donuts, Joy's frequent need for a restroom or a joint to ease her pain, a burial service for an animal they hit, and various arguments and recriminations; Bobby's efforts to find a suit so he can make a good impression on his girlfriend's relatives; and April's preparations for the meal, a near disaster when she discovers her oven is broken. With the help of various neighbors, she manages to assemble dinner, while learning to appreciate the importance of family and making some new friends in the process.

[edit] Cast

Katie Holmes ..... April Burns
Derek Luke ..... Bobby
Oliver Platt ..... Jim Burns
Patricia Clarkson ..... Joy Burns
Alison Pill ..... Beth Burns
John Gallagher Jr. ..... Timmy Burns
Alice Drummond ..... Grandma Dottie
Isiah Whitlock, Jr. ..... Eugene
Lillias White ..... Evette
Sean Hayes ..... Wayne
Sisqó ..... Latrell

[edit] Critical reception

In his review in the New York Times, Elvis Mitchell called the film an "intelligent and touching farce" and added, "Mr. Hedges dances from one vignette to another with a mouthwatering finesse." ^[1]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times said "it contains much good humor" and "has a lot of joy and quirkiness; it's well-intentioned in its screwy way, with flashes of human insight, and actors who can take a moment and make it glow." ^[2]

In Rolling Stone, Peter Travers described it as "a playful comedy laced with heartbreak," adding, "It's Holmes who holds Pieces together . . . [she] nails every laugh without missing the dramatic nuances. She makes April and her movie well worth knowing." ^[3]

Carla Meyer of the San Francisco Chronicle called the film " both heartfelt and tough-minded . . . [it] avoids sentimentality at every turn and truly earns both its laughs and its tears." ^[4]

In Entertainment Weekly, Owen Gleiberman rated the film C, calling it a "glib comedy" and adding, "Hedges shoves his characters into sitcom slots and seals them there." ^[5]