Paulie (1998) 6.2
Life from a parrot's point of view. Director:John RobertsWriter:Laurie Craig |
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Paulie (1998) 6.2
Life from a parrot's point of view. Director:John RobertsWriter:Laurie Craig |
|
| Watch Trailer 0Share... |
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Gena Rowlands | ... | ||
| Tony Shalhoub | ... | ||
| Cheech Marin | ... | ||
| Bruce Davison | ... | ||
| Trini Alvarado | ... | ||
| Jay Mohr | ... | ||
| Buddy Hackett | ... | ||
| Hallie Kate Eisenberg | ... | ||
| Matt Craven | ... | ||
| Bill Cobbs | ... | ||
| Tia Texada | ... | ||
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Laura Harrington | ... | |
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Peter Basch | ... | |
| Emily Mura-Smith | ... | ||
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Hal Robinson | ... | |
Paulie, an intelligent parrot who actually talks, relates the story of his struggle to a Russian immigrant who works as a janitor at the research institute where he is housed and neglected. Paulies story begins many years earlier when he is given as a gift to a little girl who stutters. Eventually, he teaches the girl to speak correctly but is taken away by her father because he believes the girl cannot distinguish fantasy from reality because she believes the bird can talk. Paulie goes through a series of adventures with a pawn shop owner, an ageing widow, a Mexican-American troubadour and a would be thief before being taken to the institute where he now lives. Written by <lodger13@iwl.net>
Some people might call "Paulie" a kids' movie, but I wish to assert that it's more than that. Probably more than anything else, this movie successfully goes to great lengths to show the plight of immigrants in the United States - topical given the recent debates. Portraying a parrot telling a Russian immigrant janitor (Tony Shalhoub) of how he searched America for his original owners, the movie tells several stories. There's the elderly woman (Gena Rowlands) whom he befriends, then a Mexican immigrant (Cheech Marin), and others.
All in all, it's a very well done movie. I usually don't expect much from these sorts of movies, but this one is a treat. I certainly recommend it. Also starring Jay Mohr, Buddy Hackett, Bruce Davison, Hallie Eisenberg and Trini Alvarado.