April (Holmes) is a rebellious young woman who's left her family to go find herself in the wilds of Manhattan. With her mother, Joy (Clarkson), battling a recurring cancer, April generously invites the whole clan to her small apartment for Thanksgiving. Numerous complications — like a busted oven — arise on the big day. Can April count on new friends and neighbors to help her set things right?

"Pieces of April" is a little picture with a big heart, both funny and sad; it's one of those movies that sneaks up on you. The frenzied comic shenanigans involved in pulling off this meal belie a deep yearning, as we realize April wants to use the occasion to mend fences with her family, and in particular, her ailing mother. Both Holmes and veteran Clarkson shine in their roles, with Oliver Platt also excellent as a loving father quietly coping with the prospect of losing his wife. "Pieces of April" is a quirky, bittersweet valentine to family.