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Directed by: Peter Hedges Starring: Katie Holmes, Oliver Platt, Patricia Clarkson Fantastic directorial debut from Peter Hedges, the screenwriter of What's Eating Gilbert Grape? and About a Boy. Pieces of April is a low budget black comedy starring Katie Homes as the titular April. Living in a squalid, run-down New York apartment with her boyfriend, April has five hours to prepare the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for her visiting family. Meanwhile, her family themselves are having a spot of trouble on their road trip, trying to come to terms with their mother's illness and whether or not this trip to April's for Thanksgiving is such a good idea. Anyone expecting the usual Hollywood-style slapstick/gross-out comedy formula of movies such as American Pie or There's Something About Mary will be disappointed. Pieces of April is very much a black comedy, with the humour borne out of recognition of life's uncomfortable moments rather than an all-out gag-fest. If you're familiar with the work of British directors from the realist school, such as Mike Leigh or Ken Loach, then you'll be right at home here. Having said that, while something like Ken Loach's Raining Stones will pummel the viewer into submission with it's naturalistic approach to a family unit dealing with an emotive crisis, Pieces of April takes a more gentle approach, never quite punching the viewer in the face but at least giving them a poke in the ribs. The digital video format ensures there's a gritty realism where the cinematography is concerned, but the performances of the exceptional cast help juxtapose this. Definitely one of the best independent American movies for some time. And the superb Magnetic Fields soundtrack is just the icing on the cake. RATING: 5 PROS: Perfect casting; just the right balance of warmth and grit. CONS: Nothing of any concern. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0311648/ Retroblique fucked around with this message at 19:26 on May 24, 2004 |
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May 8, 2004 02:36
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 00:02 |
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Wow....a review that is so insightful that there is almost nothing left to add to the thread that it did not cover. I will only add this bit of info for people looking for a review before buying or renting this movie. It is not a 'date' movie but a 'discussion of different points of view on life and family and clashes of values' movie...more suited to friends wanting a conversation piece than simply an entertaining evenings viewing.
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May 16, 2004 12:23
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This movie had its up and downs. The original poster's review is a good indicator, but I felt at times the movie also let the audience down, so it was far from perfect.
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May 16, 2004 16:20
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Two big complaints here. One: I don't understand why April's family has so much contempt for her. She's only ever portrayed as a polite, sweet, well-meaning, and totally non-threatening person. Are we meant to believe that tattoos, a messy apartment and lack of gourmet cooking skills makes you a difficult person, a problem child? There are only brief hints of a troubled past, but it simply does not show at all in the character (and Katie Holmes looks far too perfect to have ever had any serious drug problem). Aggravating the situation is that neither of April's parents can recall ONE good memory of her, even from infancy. Give me a break! That stretches believability to the breaking point. And secondly, the more I reflect on it, the more annoyed I am with the "don't judge a book by its cover" themes. Maybe audiences need reminding of that every once in a while, but it was so heavy-handed. They go to great lengths to suggest that the black boyfriend is involved in some shady business and... oh, ha ha, we got you, you presumptuous racist! And the "Tyrone" who ominously stalks him? Ha ha, it's a WHITE GUY, you presumptious racist!! I guess if you are a racist it might provide some kind of enlightment (unlikely) but if you're not, you see it coming a mile away and it's merely insulting. And let's not forget the black couple, antagonistic and apparently white-haters at first, of course turn out to be the most helpful and charming two people ever put on the planet. And the Chinese family, eager to help despite the language barrier. And the whole building comes together in a beautiful mixed-race display of peace on Earth! Expect for any of the white neighbors, who are (naturally) all uptight, mean, or psychotic. It's hard to complain about racial stereotypes being inverted in the movies, but it all feels so manipulative. Oh, and April's little Thanksgiving speech... haven't we heard this enough already? Yeah, yeah, we slaughtered the Indians and took their land. Can we, as a country, forgive ourselves already? I really enjoyed it at the time. Howlingly funny on many occasions ("Well, aren't you the most special thing in the world?") and genuinely touching, despite being so calculated. Nice to see Derek Luke and Oliver Platt getting work. But overall, in retrospect, not that good. Rating: 3
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Feb 7, 2005 20:56
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