DVD Review

Pieces of April

Thanksgiving dinner is a meal that is idealistically big and extravagant, a feast of sorts. The film, ?Pieces of April,? starring Katie Holmes, isn?t necessarily like a feast, but it tells its Thanksgiving story with simple yet very effective ingredients. In place of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing are things like wit, charm, and solid performances. Holmes and Patricia Clarkson (?Far From Heaven?) lead a small cast of talented actors, portraying fractured and likeable characters in a nicely constructed picture.

The film centers on a dysfunctional family and on the family?s sole outcast who is trying her best not to screw up dinner like she has done with the rest of her life ? or, at least that?s what she?s known for. It?s easy to write this film off because, let?s face it, we?ve seen films about dysfunctional families, and perhaps too often. The thing that sets ?Pieces? apart from many of them is originality. Most of the said films reside in feel good territory without really confronting the dysfunction. This film is tidy but bluntly honest about its characters and story; for that, it?s easy to overlook its few faults.

Katie Holmes is in that group of twenty-something actors progressively headed toward more serious material. Holmes stumbled through several teen films (Remember ?Teaching Mrs. Tingle?? Yeah, me neither) and starred on television?s popular soap/drama, ?Dawson?s Creek.? So, it?s fair to say she doesn?t have much credit as of yet, but ?Pieces of April? is her film. Not only is she impressive, but she shows promise for future roles with this self-assured performance. She has yet to develop a real range onscreen, but this film doesn?t ask for one.

April is a girl who has been stuck in the same gear since adolescence, somewhat abruptly entering adulthood. Her family sees this weakness and tactlessly pounces on it. Patricia Clarkson, who is always a pleasure onscreen, portrays April?s mother, a woman both hard and darkly funny. Though diagnosed with cancer, she doesn?t dwell on her sickness; instead, she makes the best of it. ?Pieces of April? is not a film about a woman trying to mend the tears in her family before dying. If that were the case, the film would be airing at some indistinct, late-night hour on Lifetime.

Throughout the film, it?s easy to get caught up in the story and characters. Everybody has had some sort of holiday gone awry with family, and for that reason, you can understand April?s situation. Trying to impress her family for once, the usual misfortunes of preparing a meal are magnified by judgment and doubt.

At a runtime just under ninety minutes, ?Pieces? is short and sweet enough to enjoy. The film doesn?t overstay its welcome and is something that will keep people interested and attached. Even though it ends rather abruptly, there is little to criticize the film for; when a film presents good writing and acting, a bit of thanks is certainly in order. Okay, now pass the stuffing.

Stephen's Grade: B

A	8.7%
B	43.5%
C	47.8%
D	0.0%
F	0.0%