Pieces of April (2003)

Director:

Peter Hedges

Writer (WGA):

Peter Hedges (written by)

Release Date:

19 February 2004 (Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

She's the one in every family.

Plot:

A wayward daughter invites her dying mother and the rest of her estranged family to her apartment for Thanksgiving dinner.

Plot Keywords:

Dysfunctional | Human Relationship | Family Relationship | Mother Son Relationship | Father Son Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 14 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Katie Holmes	...	April Burns
Derek Luke	...	Bobby
Oliver Platt	...	Jim Burns
Alison Pill	...	Beth Burns
John Gallagher Jr.	...	Timmy Burns
Patricia Clarkson	...	Joy Burns
Alice Drummond	...	Grandma Dottie
Vitali Baganov	...	Half Asleep Man
Lillias White	...	Evette
Isiah Whitlock Jr.	...	Eugene
Adrian Martinez	...	Man in Mohair Sweater
Susan Bruce	...	Tish
Jamari Richardson	...	Boy on Bicycle
Leila Danette	...	Woman in Stairwell
Stephen Chen	...	Lee Loung Tan

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language, sensuality, drug content and images of nudity.

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M (cable rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-7 | Germany:6 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (original rating) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Chile:14

Filming Locations:

Bear Mountain, New York, USA

Company:

United Artists

Trivia:

Although the film is dedicated to Peter Hedges' mother, who died of cancer, the only true aspect he incorporated is the line where Joy talks about the fictional singer "Smack Daddy". The line is almost word for word what Peter's mother told him while in the hospital, the only exception being that she was talking about Barry White.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the end of the film, when the snapshots are shown of April and her mother hugging, April is wearing a pink sweater. In the very next shot of Joy's face April is not wearing the sweater.

Quotes:

April Burns: I'm the first pancake.
Evette: What do you mean?
Eugene: She's the one you're supposed to throw out.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Epitaph for My Heart

Slightly Bizarre, and Very Sweet

"Once there was this one day where everybody seemed to know they needed each other. This one day when they knew for certain that they couldn't do it alone." (April, trying to explain the origins of Thanksgiving.) That ultimately is what this movie is about -- people needing people, and the inter-relationships of people. It's about April and her family, but it's also about April and Bobby, the Lee family, Eugene and Evette, and even Wayne, who needs somebody, but misses connecting once again. Jim needs Joy, Bobby needs Latrell, Joy needs her family, she and Timmy need the bikers, and it just goes on and on. We all need one another and touch one another, and those touches spread out and out. Beautiful.

I also loved all the little twists, such as the stiff, middle-aged mother chiding her teenage son about properly rolling a joint; and the puncturing of stereotypes and prejudices. When Bobby's waiting by the phone for Latrell, it's probably tempting to think he's doing a drug deal or some other unsavory activity. But I knew better; I was laughing well before it was revealed what they were up to. Magnificent.

Another one to add to the video library, and I'm going to have to check out more Peter Hedges (though I have seen Gilbert Grape).