Pieces of April

Katie Holmes starring in an independent feature about a rebellious young woman reconnecting with her cancer-stricken mother? Pinch me, I must be dreaming! Actually, while this sounds like a formula for what the ancient sages called "extreme suckage," it’s actually totally decent. Somehow, all the mom-dying-of-cancer stuff gets tossed aside, as mom behaves like a total jerk. And the rebellious youngster has an emotional depth that never relies on cheap psychological explanation. Plus, the jokes are actually funny, and in the end, I felt a strange warmness in the part of my chest where I used to keep my heart before I became a film critic. Strong performances by Patricia Clarkson, Oliver Platt, and, yes, Katie Holmes counteract the grimy look of the videotape Pieces of April was shot on, making it the perfect low-budget holiday entertainment for the annual X-mas party thrown by Messrs. Scrooge and Grinch.