"Pieces of April" feels real. In fact, at times it feels a bit too real for its own good.
Who among us hasn't been in the all-too-painful position of having to prepare what can best be described as the Thanksgiving Dinner From . . . well, Hades? That almost-universal experience lends this character-driven, comedy-drama an almost-universal appeal.
Better still, the film doesn't force its points or cram them down your throat — or make them as syrupy as possible. And even though some of the situations and characterizations might seem extreme, the storytelling doesn't feel contrived. Again, it feels real.
First-time filmmaker Peter Hedges is smart enough to have created a group of characters we either like enough or are at least interested in enough to get to know them for a relatively scant 80 minutes.
The title character is April Burns (Katie Holmes), a punked-out twentysomething who happens to be the black sheep of her family. She finds herself living in New York's Lower East Side, far from her family's suburban nightmare.
However, she's making an effort to mend some fences. So April has agreed to cook dinner for them. Unfortunately, it's not going well — her oven is on the fritz, and she's not exactly a gourmet chef to begin with.
Meanwhile, getting to April's apartment is proving to be a challenge for her family. Her estranged, terminally ill mother, Joy (Patricia Clarkson), is convinced that, like everything with April's life, the meal will be a disaster.
Still, April's all-too-patient father, Jim (Oliver Platt), is doing everything he can to get everyone there in one piece and to keep the peace — at least long enough for everyone to enjoy the meal.
It's to the credit of Hedges and his extremely talented cast that the film works so well. After all, other like-minded films (such as 2000's "What's Cooking?") have tried to do the same thing and failed.
Which isn't to say that the film is without its terrible moments — a subplot involving one of April's neighbors (Sean Hayes) is desperately unfunny.
Yet Holmes makes someone very sympathetic. And surprisingly, so does Clarkson, whose performance ensures that her character doesn't just become a one-dimensional shrew.
"Pieces of April" is rated PG-13 for scattered use of strong profanity, brief sexual contact, simulated drug use (pharmaceuticals, as well as marijuana), glimpses of nude photos, and a brief scene of violence (mostly overheard or implied). Running time: 80 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com