Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Gena Rowlands | ... | Ivy | |
Tony Shalhoub | ... | Misha Vilyenkov | |
Cheech Marin | ... | Ignacio | |
Bruce Davison | ... | Dr. Reingold | |
Trini Alvarado | ... | Adult Marie Alweather | |
Jay Mohr | ... | Benny / Paulie (voice) | |
Buddy Hackett | ... | Artie | |
Hallie Eisenberg | ... | Marie Alweather (as Hallie Kate Eisenberg) | |
Matt Craven | ... | Warren Alweather | |
Bill Cobbs | ... | Virgil the Janitor | |
Tia Texada | ... | Ruby / Lupe (voice) | |
Laura Harrington | ... | Lila Alweather | |
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Peter Basch | ... | Graduate Student #1 |
Emily Mura-Smith | ... | Graduate Student #2 | |
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Hal Robinson | ... | Grandpa |
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>
You're thinking something along the lines of "a schmaltzy movie about a talking parrot. Puh-leeeeeez!" I had somewhat the same reaction when I came across this on cable. Then I looked at the cast and said to myself, gee, how bad can a script be when Gena Rowlands and Tony Shaloub sign on? And my gosh, there's Buddy Hacket, in his last full length studio movie. To cut to the chase, this is the kind of movie the Disney Studios used to make; a charming, witty, sentimental movie with appeal for the whole family, and a few life lessons thrown in for good measure. I was totally enchanted (and I'm 72!) and the movie made me forget my cynicism. Is it a "feel good" movie? For sure. And can't we do with a few more feel-good movies, as opposed to movies that, after seeing them, you either feel like taking a shower or hanging yourself (or both, in that order)?