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Birds of America (2008) -- A regular guy struggles with a repressive home and professional life, as well as making amends for the trouble his free-spirited brother and sister cause about town.
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Overview

User Rating:
6.4/10   2,048 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 11% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Craig Lucas
Writer (WGA):
Elyse Friedman (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Birds of America on IMDbPro.
Genre:
Comedy | Drama more
Tagline:
Some families defy classification
Plot:
A regular guy struggles with a repressive home and professional life, as well as making amends for the trouble his free-spirited brother and sister cause about town. | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
NewsDesk:
EW Picks: Today's best in pop culture
 (From EW.com - PopWatch. 14 September 2009, 1:13 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Odd Birds. Good Eggs. more (13 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Matthew Perry ... Morrie

Ben Foster ... Jay

Ginnifer Goodwin ... Ida

Lauren Graham ... Betty Tanager

Zoë Kravitz ... Gillian

Hilary Swank ... Laura

Gary Wilmes ... Paul
Daniel Eric Gold ... Gary

Stacie Theon ... Ellen Thomas
Lindsay Allen ... Roller-Blading Girl

Tom Pelphrey ... Hitchhiker
Will Toale ... Young Male Cop
Vivien Kells ... Sleeping Girl (as Vivien Kells O'Brien)
Keith McDermott ... Man in Street
Marisa Zalabak ... Woman in Street
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Laws of Motion (USA) (working title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for language, some sexuality and brief drug use.
Runtime:
85 min | USA:89 min (Sundance Film Festival)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Certification:
USA:R | Finland:K-13
Filming Locations:
Darien, Connecticut, USA more

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
Ida: Sometimes kindness is wiser than truth. more
Soundtrack:
Acoustic more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
86 out of 92 people found the following comment useful.
Odd Birds. Good Eggs., 26 January 2008
8/10
Author: wmjaho from Park City

You might be getting a little tired of movies about dysfunctional families. I know I am. I think I've seen at least three at Sundance this year. But Birds of America manages to break the mold and feel fresh and alive from the outset, delivering a warm, funny, zany, tender and compassionate film that left the audience smiling and satisfied.

Morrie (Matthew Perry) is an uptight university professor anxiously seeking tenure, which requires the approval of his department head, who lives next door. Morrie and his wife Betty (Lauren Graham—Gilmore Girls) live in a house he inherited at 18 years old after his mother died and his father committed suicide. As a result, Morrie raised his brother Jay (Ben Foster) and sister Ida (Ginnifer Goodwin), both of which grew into their problems. Ida is substance-abusing and promiscuous, and Jay a deeply gentle and sensitive soul whose actions are almost completely unfettered by advanced thought. They reunite in the family home when Jay gets run over by a car (he was laying in the road) and Morrie, who still feels more parent than brother, asks him to move in for a while. Without asking permission, Jay invites Ida to join them, stressing Morrie and Betty's relationship and jeopardizing his career with their outrageous behavior.

Matthew Perry is surprisingly good in his deadpan portrayal of an overwrought brother who cares deeply for his siblings, often at his own expense. Goodwin is a pleasure as well, as the addictive personality with the carefree spirit. But Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma) is great, and despite having such a naturally funny role, manages to never play Jay for laughs, creating an endearing and memorable character. Growing up without parents, these three have formed an unbreakable bond, with unconditional love and acceptance, and a tenderness and compassion unlike any I can remember in movies. Elyse Friedman has crafted a remarkable script, and Sundance veteran director Craig Lucas (Secret Lives of Dentists, The Dying Gaul) brings it to life with a funny but light-hearted and gentle touch.

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This movie more than rots! mypcforums
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