PIECES OF APRIL
US, 2003, 80 minutes, Colour.
Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson, Derek Luke, Sean Hayes, Oliver Platt, Alison Pill.
Directed by Peter Hedges.
A movie genre that sprang up and developed, especially during the 1990s, was the Thanksgiving reunion and dinner genre: What's Cooking, Home for the Holidays, The Ice Storm, The Myth of Fingerprints... family antagonism, the reunion, the meal, possible reconciliation. Pieces of April belongs firmly to this genre. The dramatic action of this brief movie takes place over 12 hours of Thanksgiving Day. It is both a cooking movie and a road movie.
Katie Holmes as April is in charge of the cooking and is plagued by problems (which word sets her black African neighbour into fits of laughter, a nice white girl with problems!). What's cooking here is a New York City racial mix, Chinese included) who can come together happily for the dinner - except for the rather prissy Sean Hayes and his dog, Bernadette, who shows that the holiday does not mean kindness to everyone. Hayes makes an impression and offers a different variation on his role as Jack in Will and Grace. Antwone Fisher's Derek Luke is April's boyfriend.
Oliver Platt is in charge of the journey as the alienated family make one more effort to see April before her unaffirming mother dies of cancer. Mother (ironically named Joy) is played by Patricia Clarkson in an Oscar-nominated performance, a woman with a caustic mouth and no appreciation of her daughters. Platt, on the other hand, is the embodiment of kindness.
There is an overall sweetness about the movie despite the problems, the arguments, the recriminations and the frustrations in getting the meal ready. This genial tone comes from Peter Hedges, best known for his novel and screenplay of another fine film about a dysfunctional family, What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Hedges has a gift for creating dysfunctional characters as he also wrote the screenplay for
About a Boy. Pieces of April is his directorial debut.
1. The film as a Thanksgiving Dinner preparation and celebration story? The American themes of Thanksgiving, April and her trying to explain to the Chinese family the nature of Thanksgiving, American history, the Pilgrims, their hardships, the indigenous native Americans and the repercussions of the settlements? American celebration of Thanksgiving, especially reunions in families?
2. The title, the song, 'Pieces of April'? The focus on April, her shattered life? The regard in which she was held by her family, disregard? The pieces coming together?
3. New York City, the dingy area, the apartment, the apartment block, the staircases and other apartments? The ugliness of the street and the graffiti? Downtown New York City and the contrast? The contrast with the family home, the country, New York State, driving along the highways? The diners? The contrast between city and country? The musical score, the songs?
4. The initial focus on April, her age, appearance, in New York City, the apartment, with Bobby? Getting up, the prospect of the day, making Thanksgiving Dinner and her inability in the kitchen? Bobby's skills? The turkey, washing it, dropping it? Stuffing it? Her inability peeling the vegetables? Her plans, lists? The oven not working? Bobby away? Her initiative, going to the various people in the apartment block to see if she could borrow their ovens? The people not answering the door, slamming the door in her face? Evette and Eugene, suspicions, laughing at a white girl having problems, inviting her in, lending the oven for two hours, the discussions about food and Eugene's skill in specialties for Thanksgiving, her telling her story about her alienation from her family, especially her mother? Trying to get other people to help her for the two hours, the incomprehension of the Chinese family, the young woman who wouldn't allow poultry in her oven because she was a vegan, disregard from other people? The recommendation to go to Wayne, his arrival, with his dog Bernadette, the detail of the oven, his prissiness, his wanting some advantage, falling out, her comments, his slamming the door, her climbing up the fire escape to recoup the turkey? His being insulted? The Chinese family, communication, their giving her the oven, her trying to explain Thanksgiving to them? Their bringing down the turkey beautifully cooked?
5. Bobby, his relationship with April, helping her with the cooking, going out on his errand, people telling him that somebody was expecting him, the phone calls, the connection (and audience expectations that it would be a drug deal by a black man)? The irony of the true mission, the Salvation Army shop, trying on the coats, getting the suit, on his motor board? Meeting April's former fiance, changing his name? The confrontation, his being bashed? The return home?
6. The neighbours: Evette and Eugene, the black family, laughing at white problems, yet helping out, the story, the beautiful dinner, the extras? The Chinese family, sociable, lacking language, helping out, listening to the Thanksgiving story? Wayne, his behaviour, manner, the dog, his mean-mindedness? The other members of the apartment block?
7. The family at home, the beginning of the day, Jim and his waking up, searching for Joy, getting the kids to search, her sitting in the car waiting to go? Their hurrying, her bipping the horn, Timmy forgetting the camera? Beth and her trying to persuade her mother that there was no need to travel? Joy and her cancer, her wig, her illness, vomiting, yet her determination to go? The trip, going to the diner and eating all the sweet food? Jim throwing the candy into the trash bin? On the way, picking up Joy's mother, her incomprehension, the explanations of who everybody was? The difficulties on the trip, hitting the animal, burying it? The pulling over, Joy and her pretence to be ill, her making the joke about April's food and what strategies to avoid eating it? Finally stopping at the road, Joy getting out, Jim following her, persuading her to get back in the car?
8. Joy, forty-two, the cancer? Her caustic aspects, her formerly being kind and gentle, her mother's comments and disowning her? Her disdain of April, her failure of having happy memories, only remembering Beth? The falling out, the concern about April and her drug-taking, the dealer? The decision to go? In the car, her ironic comments, listening to the music, getting them to stop and giving the indication that she was sick whereas she was making the joke about April's cooking? Her being sick and vomiting on the way? Her wig? Her getting out of the car, not wanting to go, thinking everything would be a failure? The chemotherapy affecting her moods? Her love for Timmy? Her taking Jim for granted but loving him? Getting back in the car?
9. Jim, his concern, a good man, nice, his love for his children, love for his wife? Driving, throwing the sweets away? Pleading for Joy to continue the trip?
10. Beth, her age, the perfect girl, prissy, her comments, having everything perfect? Her singing and her mother wanting her to stop? Apologising? Her criticising everybody? Timmy, his age, the photos, more genial, making jokes about the memory of the pink nightgown? Joy's mother, her age, in the home, identifying people, disappointed at her daughter's behaviour?
11. The arrival at the address, the family thinking it was the wrong street, Bobby's arrival, his greeting, identifying himself? Their shock, the reactions? Their driving away, April going down and their not being there? Their going to the diner, wanting a nice meal? Joy going to the restroom, seeing the mother abandon her little girl in the toilet? Her change of heart, she and Timmy asking the bikers to give them a lift? Her arrival?
12. The dinner, April achieving success with the dinner? Her serving the plates, the Chinese family present, Eugene and Evette turning up? Her mother's arrival, their embrace, the possibilities for a reconciliation? Tim and the bikers joining in the dinner?
13. The director's technique for the dinner, a series of close-ups, stills, some movement but no dialogue? The cumulative effect of this collage? Jim, Joy's mother and Beth arriving?
14. The purpose of Thanksgiving, the food and the celebration, everybody together, the ethnic mix in the United States? Thanksgiving as a time for thanks, family and reconciliation?
