Pieces of April

I love this type of movie. No plot, not really, just characters and random moments strung together creating a semblance of forward momentum. This series of vignettes meanders through the life of a highly dysfunctional family attempting to deal with terminal illness (Patricia Clarkson) while traveling to visit their estranged daughter (Katie Holmes) living in NYC. The characters are all depicted as equally villain and victim. And while there is some schmaltzy feel goodness at the end, the journey that gets us there is well worth it.

Below is a note I thought to delete, because I can't fully articulate what it means if anything....would be interested to hear other's comments.....

Though they shoot mostly in cramped quarters, a great spacious void seems to permeate the filming. Maybe this has do to with director's choice to use three axes in space to move the movie along. The family traveling great distance, the daughter searching vertically up and down stair cases in her apartment complex while the boyfriend races with time. Not much for analysis.....but feels like there was intention here.