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Pieces Of April
2003
Katie Holmes is outstanding as the title character in Peter Hedges' PIECES OF APRIL. Holmes stars as April Burns, the black sheep of her family who has left suburbia for a Lower East Side tenement. To reconnect with her mother Joy (Patricia Clarkson), and father Jim (Oliver Platt), she invites them and her wisecracking brother (.. Read more
| Starring | Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson, Oliver Platt, Derek Luke |
|---|---|
| Director | Peter Hedges |
| Genres | Drama |
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Pieces Of April
Katie Holmes is outstanding as the title character in Peter Hedges' PIECES OF APRIL. Holmes stars as April Burns, the black sheep of her family who has left suburbia for a Lower East Side tenement. To reconnect with her mother Joy (Patricia Clarkson), and father Jim (Oliver Platt), she invites them and her wisecracking brother (John Gallagher Jr.) and perfect sister (Alison Pill) for Thanksgiving dinner at her apartment, and against their better judgment, the Burnses pile up in the family station wagon, pick up Grandma (Alice Drummond), and head to the big city from the safe confines of their stereotypical suburban home. But Joy is seriously ill, complicating the road trip; meanwhile, April's oven is broken, sending her off to her bizarre neighbours to try to borrow their kitchen. Her interaction with Wayne (Sean Hayes) is a riot.
Holmes is a revelation as April, showing marvellous range and depth as the outcast daughter who still strives for her mother's affection. Derek Luke is excellent as April's caring boyfriend, who understands how important this Thanksgiving dinner is to her. Platt is solid as the father, with just the right amount of vulnerability, but Clarkson nearly steals the movie; she takes over the screen in every scene she's in. Hedges's directorial debut, following screenplays for WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE, ABOUT A BOY, and A MAP OF THE WORLD, is well-paced and fun to watch. The soundtrack features music by Stephen Merritt with the 6ths and Magnetic Fields.
| Starring | Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson, Oliver Platt, Derek Luke, Sean Hayes |
|---|---|
| Director | Peter Hedges |
| Studio | MGM ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 19 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 11 Jun 2004 Production year: 2003 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (5)
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Katie Holmes throws off the sanitised teen angst of TV's Dawson's Creek and explores real, raw emotion here in the low-budget directorial debut of What's Eating Gilbert Grape? screenwriter Peter Hedges. Holmes is grunged-up and scowling as the volatile April Burns, whose shifting moods reach a crescendo when she decides to host a Thanksgiving meal for her estranged family, including her cancer-stricken mother (played by Patricia Clarkson). Everything that could go wrong invariably does, leading to moments of bittersweet comedy that are as touching as they are amusing. Holmes excels as the black sheep of the Burns clan, perfectly capturing the painful contradictions of a girl who guards her independence fiercely, yet desperately wants to belong. However, her heartfelt performance is overshadowed by the Oscar-nominated Clarkson, whose brutal honesty and coldness are poignantly exact. With digital camerawork enhancing the realism, the end result is a perceptive account of family relations that will strike a chord with anyone who's ever endured awkward get-togethers with their folks.
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Occasionally engaging drama of a dysfunctional family Ð one that allows a dying woman to be abrasive, making a change from the standard Hollywood serenity Ð though it settles for easy sentimentality at the end.
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Most helpful member's review
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29 out of 34 people found this review helpful
Already in my top 3 of 2004!
It?s Thanksgiving and April Burns has invited her family to her New York apartment for dinner. As the eldest, and most alienated of three children this is a real chance for April to make a much needed good impression on her family.
If only it were this simple. Dinner is proving slightly more difficult than she anticipated, mainly due to the oven not working. Her boyfriend Bobby has been out for most of the day and she needs to recruit the help of her neighbours to get the turkey cooked.
Her efforts might be short-lived however, as her family are travelling from Pennsylvania somewhat reluctantly. Joy, her Mother deals with recurrent bouts of nausea brought on by her cancer chemotherapy and finds occasional relief from her Son?s cannabis supply.
Peter Hedges has developed an excellent script into a simple but effective film that had me laughing out loud one minute before placing a lump in my throat the next. The dialogue is witty and amusing from start to finish and the film never gets too heavy whilst dealing with some tough issues. The perfect answer to a lazy Sunday afternoon. -
Most recent members' review
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6 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Just Leaves you wanting more pieces of April
so the plot has been explained. Pieces of April is the schmaltzy family holiday film which Hollywood cannot make. Peter Hedges has carved a script with a mixture of genres. Comedy especially, irony, black comedy, situation comedy all here, with moments of drama and serious issues. Hands down Patricia Clarkson is amazing in her role as April's mother, she is not afraid of playing a nasty character, while still being warm and likeable to the audience. The Rest of the cast offer great support. But this really is a showcase for Katie Holmes, who is really blossoming into a strong actress, not afraid of playing Joey Potter, but then not afraid of trying other roles. In Pieces of April, i've never seen someone carry such a complicated mixed script with such ease and natural talent. The range of emotions is fantastic and if you stay with it, i assure you that you will feel good at the end of it.
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News and features
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Dan In Real Life
- 08 Jan 2008
When I interviewed the lovely Juliette Binoche at the Toronto Film Festival in September 06, she told me she had films lined up with the Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsaio-hsien (Flight of the Red Balloon will be released later this year); the Israeli Amos Gitai (Disengagement); the Frenchmen Olivier Assayas and Cedric Klapisch (Summer Time and Paris will also likely reach UK cinemas later this year); Argentine Santiago Amigorena; Iranian Abbas Kiarostami; and Cambodian Rithy Pran. Oh, and she was... Read more
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Katie Holmes is outstanding as the title character in Peter Hedges' PIECES OF APRIL. Holmes stars as April Burns, the black sheep of her family who has left suburbia for a Lower East Side tenement. ... -