Birds of America Reviews

Cast: Matthew Perry, Ben Foster, Ginnifer Goodwin, Lauren Graham, Zoë Kravitz, Hilary Swank, Gary Wilmes, Daniel Eric Gold, Takako Haywood, Jennifer Gargano

Director: Craig Lucas

Summary: With his daffy neighbor (Hilary Swank) serving as his sole diversion from the daily grind, Morrie (Matthew Perry) feels stifled by his suburban existence. But circumstances change when he's forced to reconcile with his younger brother and sister (Ben Foster and Ginnifer Goodwin). They resented him as a surrogate father when they were growing up, but now their freewheeling ways could prove to be Morrie's salvation.

My Thoughts: "I really liked this movie. Thought it was funny, dark, and really interesting. Love indie movies. I think they are the best kind of movies. Love Ben Foster in this. Matthew Perry was great, and it was good to see him in more of a drama type film then comedies.. Loved Ginnifer Goodwins character. She was a free spirit. Hilary Swank was quite boring though.
It's basically about three siblings still grieving over their parents death and trying to accept each other and the way they live their lives.. I just think that some people can relate. I think its a movie worth seeing."

Poky and not terribly entertaining. Ben Foster is good given the confines of his role but this purported comedy is a downer.

Liked this a lot. Very understated and moves slowly, but effective portrayal of a dysfunctional family with an outstanding cast. Will not be to all tastes, but I enjoyed it.

Don't know what I was thinking when I rented this movie. I thought that because Matthew Perry was in it that it would be a good movie. The lesson learned is that just because a movie has an actor you like, doesn't mean it's going to be a good movie. This movie proved that.

"But sometimes, sometimes kindness is wiser than truth."
A great, weird, low-key drama about three siblings trying to come to terms and accept one another for who they really are.
Great cast with among others Matthew Perry, Ben Foster, Lauren Graham and the amazing Ginnifer Goodwin.

Don't know what I was thinking when I rented this movie. I thought that because Matthew Perry was in it that it would be a good movie. The lesson learned is that just because a movie has an actor you like, doesn't mean it's going to be a good movie. This movie proved that.

I think everybody has some issues with their family members. Maybe some of the are quirky, maybe some of them are deranged, and maybe some of them are just plain crazy! In Birds Of America, the great Matthew Perry stars as Morrie Tanager, a middle-aged husband and school teacher about to get tenure. He has a plethora of problems, including bowel issues, mostly the result of too much stress. His lovely wife Betty is played by the equally lovely Lauren Graham and together they live in Morrie's parents house. They also happen to live next door to Morrie's co-worker Paul and his wife Laura and their young child. Paul is the one person standing in the way of Morrie getting his tenure. So they are forced to kind of suck up to Paul and his wife until his tenure gets instated. It's working and all seems well in their lovely world until Jay, Morrie's brother is forced to move in with them after an injury. Not more than a couple of days later, Morrie's sister Ida also moves in! We find out that when Morrie was younger, his parents both passed away early and Morrie was forced to take care of his younger siblings, and now he is having to do the same exact thing, but only as adults. Which doesn't sit well with Betty and makes for one interestingly real, yet very funny movie. The cast was absolutely amazing! Matthew is always great, I've yet to see him in anything I didn't enjoy, from TV shows to movies. Lauren was great too and it seems she's been popping up more and more, which is a very good thing! The great Ben Foster plays Jay, a mentally unbalanced young man, just looking for the reasons of life. I've been a fan of his since I first saw a movie called Get Over It. Ida was played wonderfully by the very talented and sexy Ginnifer Goodwin (He's Just Not That Into You.) I see very good things for her in her future. Rounding out the cast is Gary Wilmes as Paul, Hilary Swank as his wife Laura and the up-and-coming Zoe Kravits as Jay's estranged wife. They often say "the family that preys together, stays together" or "the family that saves together, stays together", but it is more realistic in this day and age that "the family that can and is able to go crazy with each other, the closer they often end up." And just like the Tanager Family, that might just be the better way to go.

Eh. it was okay. I didn't care too much for the story, or for their family issues. It all seemed like movies I'd seen before.

Ben Foster was stil an amazing actor though.:)

I really liked it! I was a good story, that really hit home. It really portrayed real life. Most people were disappointed, because they saw Matthew Perry in it; and thought it would be hilarious. It was nice seeing hinm in this light!

Another stellar performance from Ben Foster. I didn't really enjoy this movie, but I thought it was well acted.

Matthew Perry is awesome but this is nothing more marginal "comedy" with plenty of character development but not a whole lot of plot. This story of siblings and the significant other is, in the end, not really worth watching. I'm not going to again anyways.

Craig Lucas' smart indy flick of a demented family and their troubles plays like a sequel to 'Benny and Joon' only somewhat more sentimental. Morrie Tanger and his wife are trying to look good so he can get tenure as a professor, but his past catches up with him when his mental little brother shows up in a robe with his head wrapped in bandages and his free spirited 'and charmed' sister follows. The preview did nothing for this flick because it made it sound like an abuse comedy. The story is clearly not a comedy, but a hybrid drama or melodrama with some funny lines. It even delivers a bigger ending chuckle than in 'Sideways'. For the most part is drama and the acting is top notch. 'Slice of life' has really been indy film gold from the start. This is almost Oscar worthy. Too bad it was never in wide release. Rent or own through low priced retail.

Truly, I just did not get how they could classify this as a comedy. It was slow and did not have that great as a story.

Interesting film, Matthew Perry is good in it. The other characters are very, lets say complex. All in all the family does love each other very much even though they are dysfunctional. It is really funny when Morrie pulls down his pants and shits on his neighbors lawn!!

An excellent story about siblings, each with weird personalities and how they deal with each other while going through individual crisis. It?s a little melancholy of a film but has a good ending.

Here is hidden gem.... the only reason I rented it was to see Mathew Parry.... and it ended up being a really good movie.

At 18 the main character's father dies, leaving him with the home, a dying mother, and two significantly younger siblings to raise. The cover says "some families defy classification". That is true of this movie. He became anal-retentive and they grew up rebellious. The movie takes place about ten years into his marriage when both siblings move back home! Worth watching; some things worth thinking about.

Jay: "People need to be jolted.
Morrie: No, people need to be comforted, and you don't comfort them by satisfying your own curiosity about breaking down boundaries and rules. Some people really like their rules, they've chosen them, and you don't get to choose what rules other people obey or not; they do."


Morrie Tananger (Matthew Perry) is a college professor who lives in the home he shared with his parents and siblings as a child. His father committed suicide and his mother succumbed to cancer so he is back at home. His wife, Betty (Lauren Graham) is anxious to start a family but this sentiment is not shared by Morrie. He is not making a lot at the college and wants to wait until his position there is more established and he is tenured. As it happens in stories like this his departmental superior, Paul (Gary Wilmes) and his wife Laura (Hilary Swank) live next door. Ostensibly Paul is Morrie's best friend. Paul and Laura are all too perfect and happy especially when compared to Morrie's family. After Morrie's brother Jay (Ben Foster) is beaten and left in the proverbial ditch he experiences a change in in his world view and feels he is on a Christian mission. While recuperating he moves back in with Morrie and Betty. This also prompts a visit by their sister Ida (Ginnifer Goodwin). She aspires to be a photographer but is not able to make her mark in the field. Disappointed she resorts to copious quantities of alcohol and meaningless sex to numb her feelings. Graham and Perry prove there is life after a long term television series. Both step out of the characters they are best known for and demonstrate that they are considerable talents. This is one that is pleasing and enjoyable. Hilary Swank's got a strange small role as an annoying neighbor, but Swank's not funny enough with it. It presents its story straightforwardly and lets it play out for the viewer. Some things work, some things don't. More work than not.

What an absolute joy!

fantastic film. very intriguing. the film is unusual but excellent. Perry and the rest of the cast shine.