[UC#4] Pieces of April
Pieces of April is a 2003 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Hedges. Marking Hedges’ directorial debut, the film stars Katie Holmes, Derek Luke, Sean Hayes, Alison Pill, Oliver Platt and Patricia Clarkson. The film follows April (Holmes), as she attempts to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for her estranged family.
Wikipedia
April Burns, the eldest daughter in a highly dysfunctional family, lives in a small tenement apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan with her boyfriend Bobby. Although estranged from her parents, Jim and Joy, and younger siblings Beth and Timmy, she opts to invite them for Thanksgiving dinner. It is expected to be the last Thanksgiving for Joy, who is dying from breast cancer.
From that plot summary, you’d never guess that this is a tender, often hilarious comedy, and leaves the viewer with hope.
This is my favorite Thanksgiving movie, and my favorite Patricia Clarkson role. For reference, Ms. Clarkson is 5′ 5″ (1.65 m) tall. Canadian actress Alison Pill is 5’6″ (1.68m).
Basically, love triumphs over dysfunction.
Some IMDB trivia….
- Shot in just 16 days on a budget of $100,000. Costs were kept this low by the film company InDigEnt cutting a deal with the unions. This meant that Peter Hedges was paid $10 to direct the film, and another $10 to write it. All the actors worked for $248 a day.
- Features Patricia Clarkson’s only Oscar nominated performance.
- The title “Pieces of April” comes from a Three Dog Night song.
- The song that is sung by Beth in the car is Giuseppe Giordano’s “Caro Mio Ben“.
Trailer….
A very hard to find clip of April’s sister (played by Alison Pill) singing Caro Mio Ben
Caro Mio Ben
Three Dog Night’s version of Pieces of April