Hey folks, Harry here with a pair of reviews of a little DV movie shot in 16 days with a great script, talented actors and outside the world of Hollywood... and guess what? It sounds better than every film that opened this past weekend on 1/50th the money spent. Sigh, the way it should be, story story story, talent talent talent! Here ya go...
Saw this on monday at Sundance, where it is one of the most popular films. I think it's one of the 3 of 4 that has already been picked up by a distributor.
Very very cool little Digital movie, which was produced by up-and-coming InDigEnt. Don't worry i'm not going to give any spoilers.
It's about a rebellious girl named April (Katie Holmes) who is estranged from her family, who somehow ends up inviting her family to spend Thanksgiving with her, in her crappy tenement apartment in NYC which she shares with her boyfriend, played by Derek Luke. (Who is, I must say, a truly amazing actor, who has more onscreen charisma than anyone I've seen in like, 10 years.) I guess I should really see "Antoine Fisher" now!
Anyway, the action in the film cuts between April, as she struggles to put together a decent Thanksgiving meal, even though she's never cooked in her life, and the rest of her family, who are driving from somewhere in suburban Pennsylvania.
The rest of the family is comprised of Dad, (Oliver Platt, very solid as usual) and Mom (Patricia Clarkson--jesus, this woman can act the hell out of a role, thats for sure.) Patricia is actually in lke 3 other movies at Sundance this year. She is truly the new Queen of Indies. thank god this woman's talents are finally being recognized. Also there is a son and daughter, both very neurotic and original characters, very much indie.
I won't give away too much of the plot, because honestly, you're so much better off going into this quirky, character-driven, bittersweet-comedy knowing nothing at all. That way, it unfolds, just like life. I know that sounds really dorky, but in the case of this film, it's true.
The film was written and directed by Peter Hedges, who wrote the book and movie "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" and also wrote the screenplay for "About a Boy".
Peter answered some questions after the screening, where he described Derek Luke as giving "the best screen test I've seen since Leo DiCaprio auditioned for "Gilbert Grape"". Those are some pretty big words there! And it couldn't be more true.
The movie was very entertaining, but what I was most impressed by was this kid Luke. He seriously has that hard-to-find quality, where the audience is truly compelled to follow his actions and emotions on screen. He has a magical, transcendant quality, and will undoubtedly become one of the screen's top stars within about 5 years. mark my words. This kid has got it.
Now I need to sleep, because I haven't slept in 5 days. Sundance is a killer.....
talk to ya later,
Jojo H.
Here's Dignan with an indepth look at what seems to promise us as being a really remarkable film...
Hey Harry,
I am here at Sundance. A festival that is becoming more and more sponsored, but at its core it really does still thrive on our love of film. Though at one point today I had a moment where I was surrounded by people and slowly realized that everyone around me was on a cell phone. It was like one giant one-sided conversation. A lot of 'wheelin and dealin' talk was being thrown about and I wondered how many of those people were simply talking to dead air. Crap, I even forgot to wear all black.
Today I saw the moving and extremely clever Pieces Of April. Word on the street (a "street" that I might add is as every bit artificial as most of the films are realistic) here is that it was picked up by Lions Gate Films and will be coming to audiences around the nation in 2003.
Here's a review:
Pieces of April * * * *
If you don't want to be bothered by plot details and like to go into a movie fresh then here: Above all else this film is funny. It is funny because it is real. It does not attempt to portray things in a watered down manner, nor does it force "real" perspectives down your throat. Search it out. It will remind you why you liked movies in the first place.
For others: This is a beautiful film. It caught my eye in the middle of December when I first downloaded the Sundance catalog and I am thankful that I was able to buy a ticket for one of its screenings. It is a wry comedy that is as witty as it is touching. The film was written by first time director Peter Hedges who wrote last years marvelous "About A Boy", and the equally moving "What's Eating Gilbert Grape". The story revolves around April Burns (Katie Holmes) and her boyfriend Bobby (Derek Luke, Antwone from Antwone Fisher) and their attempt to stage a metaphorical last supper for AprilÃs family, primarily for her mother Joy (an amazing Patricia Clarkson).
April and Bobby are a couple that is trying their hardest to live right. They share a very humble apartment, they have very little by way of money and possessions, they have made some mistakes in the past like all of us. But all of that doesn't matter, because they are trying. They love each other, they need each other. They have invited April's family to Thanksgiving in an attempt to mend fences and to show the Burns that she is getting it together. Hedges centers on April and her initial reluctance to let her mom reenter her life and how her motivations for the dinner preparations gradually change from being driven by pride to being inspired by love and service. Holmes turns in a revelatory performance; her April is rough and wears a shell that at times reveals a fragile and human core that was emotionally induced by her mother.
The flipside of the story centers on the Burns family car ride to New York. Patricia Clarkson is amazing as Joy Burns. Joy Burns is a critical mother who is wishing that she went easier on her family. A lot of genuinely funny comedy involves Joy and her eccentric and cynical look on her life. You really get a sense that her real personality was suppressed during most of her life and that with her illness she has removed the mask. Patricia Clarkson is in three films here at Sundance, including the much hyped (and rightly so) The Station Agent. This actress deserves all recognition that has come her way over the years. She is brilliant.
The very best moments of the film take place in the Burns car. The car creates a very intimate atmosphere for the audience. What's great about the car scenes is that you understand much of the history of this family without the script telling you about the history per se. Some history is told, but I felt that I understood why April left her family behind in the keystone state, and how for Joy that losing her daughter to New York wasn't really all that bad. How real is that?
Even through the tension regarding Joy's health the family finds reasons to laugh, often that laughter is intended to break some kind of emotional tension in the car. The always, well almost always reliable Oliver Platt plays Jim Burns as a husband coping with the cold hard truth that his wife's life may be cut short at any moment. He provides some great Oliver Platt moments.
The film was filmed on DV in 16 days, and how they pulled off such a masterpiece is beyond me. The collective gasp of the crowd when Hedges revealed the timeframe in which it was filmed sucked the air out of the already stuffy Library theatre. This film works. It is about worlds coming together, forgiveness, helping out and acceptance. I have noticed a common thread in Hedges work that any mix of personalities can grow into a family, and that we are all compatible. Furthermore, making mistakes and being imperfect is what makes us compatible. That being said, I feel that audiences can learn much from its message of tolerance.
Enough soapbox, find this movie.
By way of side notes, some idiot asked the inevitable budget question during the Q&A. Harry, that question really bothers me. It adds an Entertainment Weekly or E! channel vibe to the Q&A (ironically EW is a sponsor of Sundance). The bummer was that it came at an extremely intimate moment of the Q&A when we had all forgotten about the Hollywood side of film and realized that we are all just lovers of film.
Well, if you want more I have seen the superb "The Cooler", the run of the mill "Confidence", the highly entertaining and rewarding "Decade Under The Influence" and the understated "Levity". I am on tap to see "Masked and Anonymous", "State of Denial", "Northfork", Neil LaBute's "The Shape of Things" and about 7 others.
Let me know.
Dignan
