"Nobody Likes It From The Can" (Pieces Of April review)

Pieces of April

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Seeking to watch more films that have been nominated for an Academy Award, I stumbled upon a clip from Patricia Clarkson’s nomination for Pieces Of April, and I instantly knew this would be a different kind of film than I’m used to watching.

Pieces Of April is a comedy about a young woman living in New York preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for her family, who expects a total disaster. The family more than willingly take for the road to a Thanksgiving unlike they have ever had. April (Katie Holmes) is the black sheep of the family, she has never cooked anything let alone a turkey, but is willing to do anything to make her family happy and have a good Thanksgiving for a change. Things don’t quite go as planned when she fins out her oven is not working, and she realizes that she will have to depend on the help from those around her, strangers.

I loved this movie for it’s blend of humor with slight drama. I would consider this a feel good movie but one that doesn’t call too much attention to whatever is feel good about it. This is a subtle comedy, and a simple movie with great performances. Katie Holmes is unlike I have ever seen her before, she plays this role of the black sheep trying to cook so well. Still, the best part about this film is Patricia Clarkson who plays the mother, Joy. She plays a mother who expects nothing from her daughter April, and at the same time is battling disease. Her expressions in this film are that of a woman who is distant yet comments on things with an unlikely sense of humor. She is wonderful in this movie and what really called my attention to it.

Pieces Of April owns up to that saying that if anything can go wrong it will go wrong. That is exactly what happens here. As the clock ticks and the family reaches their destination, our lead character April is faced with a new problem in her quest to make the perfect Thanksgiving traditional dinner. Everything goes wrong in this movie, but thanks to good people, it all turns out exactly fine in the end. This is about making the perfect family memory, with the most imperfect family in the picture.