One of the best films i have seen

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Awesome Movie

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

April is the eldest daughter of a middle class family. She however is now dead broke living with her boyfriend in New York. She invites her family however for Thanksgiving. She is however out to make sure the dinner gets well. However her family has reservations about going.While April prepares her dinner "Anything That Can Go Wrong Does". This is a heartwarming film that is really a Modern Day Thanksgiving and how all of us need each other. Rather it be family or neighbors. A Must See

April Burns (Katie Holmes) and her boyfriend Bobby (Derek Luke) are cooking Thanksgiving dinner for her family in her rundown NYC apartment. She discovers their stove doesn't work and she tries desperately to find a working stove. April's mom Joy (Patricia Clarkson) is sick. Her sister Beth (Alison Pill) is annoyingly smothering and doesn't want Thanksgiving at April's. Her brother Timmy (John Gallagher Jr.) got her mother weed. Her father Jim (Oliver Platt) tries hard to keep everybody happy. And Grandma Dottie (Alice Drummond) is losing her memories. April finds help from her neighbors Evette (Lillias White), Eugene (Isiah Whitlock Jr) and weird Wayne (Sean Hayes).This is a small indie from Peter Hedges. The production is strictly low budget hand-held camera work. Katie Holmes isn't stretching too far and does a good job. The family is led by the great Patricia Clarkson. There is a bit of low simmering charm about this. Every once in awhile, it lands a hilarious punch. It doesn't always hit solidly, but it usually leaves you smiling.

Alas yet another movie I found myself watching because of an ex and how I "Really must see it". The fact Oliver Platt was co-starring lifted my lethargy somewhat as I am a fan of his work, but sadly not even Mr Platt could save this movie.Now off the bat I want to say that I'm aware Pieces Of April has a level of cult status and I respect that but sadly in this case I honestly cannot see why.The movie wasn't offensive and brought nothing to the table that upset me, it just didn't bring anything to the table that I could find myself caring about let alone something that resembles something original.I'm not saying the movie is bad, its just that me and it just didn't click. The acting was fine, the camera work was solid...........I just didn't get it. Maybe I'm not the target audience, maybe I just wish that Holmes would go away.....far....far....away. Or maybe I just couldn't empathize with the characters.Either way this went over my head and I would recommend this purely as a sleeping aid.2/10 (Very Bad)

" For Days I have been trying to think of nice April memories and I can only come up with one. She was just gazing out the window and she said "oh mother don't you just love every day?"" : Joy Burns Movie opens in one seedy Manhattan apartment with April (Katie Holmes)and her African-American boyfriend Bobby (Derek Luke) chaotically preparing for a big thanksgiving dinner. Meanwhile, April's highly dysfunctional family is preparing to leave their upstate New York suburban home to share this dinner with April in New York, anticipating disaster from the petulant April who is also eldest daughter and "black sheep" of the family.Peter Hedges has done something noteworthy in Pieces of April. Movie is shot in digital video format with an overall off-colour outlook. Patricia Clarkson delivers one of her best performance as April's ailing mother "Joy Burns" who is in her terminal stage of Breast Cancer. Her character is hilarious and maddening at the same time. Katie Holmes as April plays the role of a wayward eldest daughter of this dysfunctional family. She has not seen her family for some time now and as it may be the last thanksgiving of her mother, she invites her whole family to her apartment in New York. While preparing thanksgiving dinner and dealing with her neighbours, amid all the chaos she realizes that this may be her last chance to re-conciliate with her family. Movie flips-flops between scenes of neighbour-hopping escapades of April while facing all kinds of troubles in preparing thanksgiving dinner, and her family recollecting April & her shortcomings on their way to Manhattan.Pieces of April is funny, moving, sad & intensely human, may be the best thanksgiving movie I have ever seen. Movie works as an ensemble piece which may have collapsed without its center piece Joy Burns (Patricia Clarkson). Katie Holmes was riveting as April in her punk look. Movie is only 80mins long and in the end leaves you wanting for more of this eccentric family. Unlike the stereotypical depiction of Thanksgiving, Pieces of April explores basic human frailties, but remains true to the thanksgiving theme all the time. Elements of comedy and tragedy are beautifully interwoven in the movie. Hedges pans out a very moving & heartwarming climax by making all the pieces of April come together and bequeaths you with a feeling of bittersweet lightness. If you are a fan of offbeat 'slice of a life' cinema then this one is not to be missed.My Rating: 8/10.http://flickyfriday.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/pieces-of-april-2003/