Pieces of April

Infobox Film
name = Pieces of April


caption = Original poster
director = Peter Hedges
producer = Gary Winick
writer = Peter Hedges
starring = Katie Holmes
Derek Luke
Oliver Platt
Patricia Clarkson
music = Stephen Merritt
cinematography = Tami Reiker
editing = Mark Livolsi
distributor = United Artists
released = October 17, 2003
runtime = 80 minutes
country = flagicon|USA
language = English
budget = $300,000
gross = $2,360,184
website = http://piecesofaprilmovie.com/
imdb_id = 0311648

"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.

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 doughnuts, bagles, 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.

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

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." [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE6D8173EF934A25753C1A9659C8B63 "New York Times" review] ]

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." [ [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031024/REVIEWS/310240303/1023 "Chicago Sun-Times" review] ]

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." [ [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/5949519/review/5949520/pieces_of_april "Rolling Stone" review] ]

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." [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/10/24/DD125794.DTL "San Francisco Chronicle" review] ]

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." [ [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,526053,00.html "Entertainment Weekly" review] ]

Awards and nominations

*Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Patricia Clarkson, nominee)
*Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture (Clarkson, nominee)
*Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture (Clarkson, nominee)
*Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Dramatic Performance (Clarkson, winner)
*Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay (nominee)
*Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress (Clarkson, nominee)
*British Independent Film Award for Best Foreign Film (nominee)
*Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress (Clarkson, winner)
*Chicago International Film Festival Audience Choice Award (Peter Hedges, winner)
*Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress (Clarkson, winner)
*Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress (Clarkson, winner)
*National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress (Clarkson, winner)
*National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress (Clarkson, winner)
*San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress (Clarkson, winner)
*Satellite Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Comedy or Musical (Clarkson, winner)
*Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress (Clarkson, winner)
*Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Screenplay (nominee)
*Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Overlooked Film of the Year (winner)
*Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Directing Breakout of the Year (nominee)
*Humanitas Prize (Hedges, nominee)

ee also

*Pieces of April (soundtrack)

References

External links

* [http://piecesofaprilmovie.com/ Official website]
*imdb title|id=0311648|title=Pieces of April