Pieces of April is a 2003 dramedy film written and directed by Peter Hedges in his directorial debut, and starring Katie Holmes, Oliver Platt, Patricia Clarkson, Derek Luke, Sean Hayes, John Gallagher Jr., and Alison Pill.
April Burns (Holmes) has invited her estranged, dysfunctional family over to her Manhattan apartment for Thanksgiving dinner. When she attempts to cook her turkey, she finds out her oven is broken, leading her to ask the other tenants to help her complete the meal. Meanwhile, April's live-in boyfriend Bobby (Luke) is out to purchase a suit so he can make a great first impression.
This movie provides examples of:
- Big Applesauce: New York provides the backdrop for April's subplot.
- Celebrity Cameo: Sisqó plays Latrell, who is trying to get Bobby a nice suit so he can make a good impression.
- Central Theme: Racing against time, provoked not just by April's attempts to finish the dinner, but by this being expected to be her dying mother's last Thanksgiving alive.
- Extremely Short Timespan: Takes place over the course of one singular Thanksgiving.
- Pop-Star Composer: Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields composed the score.
- Thanksgiving Day Story: Centers around April hosting her family for Thanksgiving dinner.
- Titled After the Song: Named for a 1972 hit by Three Dog Night. Hedges originally planned to include it on the soundtrack, but was talked out of doing so by Merritt.
- Where da White Women At?: April's boyfriend is black.
