Rare Birds

2001

Rare Birds

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

Rare Birds Photos

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Movie Info

Iceland-born Canadian filmmaker Sturla Gunnarsson spins this offbeat comedy about fine food and feathered friends. The owner of a failing gourmet eatery in a small Newfoundland town, Dave Purcell (William Hurt) is about to throw in the towel. As he raids his wine cellar and nurses his sorrows, his wacky friend Alphonse Murphy (Andy Jones) hatches a scheme to save the restaurant. They announce a faked sighting of a rare bird in the restaurant's vicinity, and soon bird watchers and even celebrities are pouring into the establishment. Dave's restaurant is so busy, in fact, that he hires Alphonse's shapely sister-in-law, Alice (Molly Parker), and in less time than it takes to burn a soufflé, romantic sparks are flying between the two. Unfortunately, Alphonse's schemes aren't limited to ornithological fraud. He has some hackneyed plan involving a submarine and a pile of cocaine that could bring down all that Dave has built. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival.

Rating:

R (drug Content and Language)
Genre:

Art House & International, Comedy, Drama
Directed By:

Sturla Gunnarsson
Written By:

Edward Riche
In Theaters:

Sep 9, 2001 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

May 28, 2002
Runtime:

104 minutes
Studio:

Lions Gate Films

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Cast

William Hurt
as Dave

Andy Jones
as Alphonse

Molly Parker
as Alice

Cathy Jones

Vicky Hynes
as Deb

Greg Malone
as Buster

Michael Chaisson
as Dr. Tomlinson

Maggie Myer

Barry Newhook
as Caller No. 1

Laura Tobin
as Girl No. 1

Maggie Meyer
as Girl No. 2

Frankie O'Neil
as Brit Woman

Leah Lewis
as Bette

Matthew Clarke

Sheila McCarthy
as Claire

Lawrence Barry
as Hooligan

Todd Perrin
as Cook

Mark Critch
as Dougie

George Jonas
as Dr. Hans Spiedal

Deidre Gillard-Rowlings
as Waitress

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Critic Reviews for Rare Birds

All Critics (13) | Top Critics (4) | DVD (1)

Whimsical and touching.

Oct 3, 2003 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic
Rendered bland and frustrating by its endless attempts to make the odd odder.

Oct 2, 2003 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…

Allison Benedikt
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic
The movie keeps coming back to the achingly unfunny Phonce and his several silly subplots.

Oct 4, 2002 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

Ty Burr
Boston Globe
Top Critic
With Rare Birds, as with The Shipping News before it, an attempt is made to transplant a Hollywood star into Newfoundland's wild soil -- and The Rock once again resists the intrusion.

Mar 1, 2002 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

Peter Howell
Toronto Star
Top Critic
Comes up fowl.

Mar 9, 2019 | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Even if you don't know a wren from a grackle, there are pleasures here.

May 23, 2003 | Rating: 3/4

Chris Hewitt
St. Paul Pioneer Press
Has all the right elements but completely fails to gel together.

Oct 20, 2002 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Charles Martin
Boxoffice Magazine
Rare Birds has more than enough charm to make it memorable.

Jun 11, 2002 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

David Grove
Film Threat
Really quite funny.

May 30, 2002 | Rating: 3.5/5

Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com
Its almost too-spectacular coastal setting distracts slightly from an eccentric and good-naturedly aimless story.

Mar 11, 2002 | Rating: 74/100

Brian Webster
Apollo Guide
Rare Birds ain't perfect ... but the wild performance by Jones constantly turns the movie upon its head.

Mar 3, 2002 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Jason Anderson
eye WEEKLY
A quirky comedy set in Newfoundland that cleverly captures the dry wit that's so prevalent on The Rock.

Mar 1, 2002 | Rating: 3.5/5

Bruce Kirkland
Jam! Movies

View All Critic Reviews (13)

Audience Reviews for Rare Birds

Jul 05, 2012

Cute little film set in a sleepy Newfoundland town that is set upon by outsiders all in searchof an elusive bird. Touching with good character interaction.

John B Super Reviewer
Mar 19, 2010

Shot in beautiful Newfoundland by Icelandic director Sturla Gunnarsson. Based on the novel by Canadian Edward Riche, who also wrote the screenplay. Stars Molly Parker, a wonderful Canadian actress.

Laura C Super Reviewer