A down-and-out restaurateur and his neighbor hatch a plan to lure luminaries to their small Newfoundland town.
Director:
Sturla Gunnarsson
From metacritic.com
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Title: Rare Birds (2001)
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6 wins & 9 nominations.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| William Hurt | ... | Dave | |
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Andy Jones | ... | Phonce |
| Molly Parker | ... | Alice | |
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Vicky Hynes | ... | Deb |
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Greg Malone | ... | Buster Bartlett |
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Michael Chiasson | ... | Dr. Jack Tomlinson |
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Barry Newhook | ... | Caller #1 / Hostage |
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Laura Tobin | ... | Girl #1 |
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Maggie Meyer | ... | Girl #2 |
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Frankie O'Neill | ... | Brit Woman |
| Lawrence Barry | ... | Hooligan | |
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Leah Lewis | ... | Bette |
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Todd Perrin | ... | Cook |
| Deidre Gillard-Rowlings | ... | Waitress | |
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Matthew Clarke | ... | Bartender |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Dave is down. His wife lives in Washington, D.C.; his restaurant, the Auk, in an out-of-the-way Newfoundland inlet, is a bust; a drink is rarely out of reach. An odd-duck of a neighbor, Phonce, who has found ten kilos of cocaine and wants Dave's help selling it, contrives to keep Dave in town by faking and reporting the sighting of a rare bird. Soon birders descend from everywhere, and the restaurant is a success. Dave is snorting the cocaine and falling for a young visitor who helps him out at the Auk, Phonce is launching his recreational submarine, and various men who don't look like birders are poking about. When the chickens come home to roost, will Dave and Phonse have a Plan B? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Taglines:
Fortune can make a man do some pretty fowl things.Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
CanadaLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
18 July 2003 (Italy) See more »Also Known As:
De drôles d'oiseaux See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$5,000,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby DigitalColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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See more »
Written by Emile Benoit
Performed by Emile Benoit
Courtesy of Amber Music
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The film had expended most of its modest budget, but producers from The Shipping News (2001), also filmed in Newfoundland, contributed the equipment and crew to complete the final shot. See more »Goofs
Level of wine glass when Dave and Phonse are eating in the kitchen. See more »Quotes
Phonce: There's two kinds of people in the world: those whose arse holes seize up during a crisis and those who shit themselves. Winston Churchill, during the blitz for instance - his sphincter locked with bulldog determination. They say he never shit during the entire Battle of Britain.See more »
Soundtracks
Christina's Dream/Tootsie-WootsieWritten by Emile Benoit
Performed by Emile Benoit
Courtesy of Amber Music
See more »
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This isn't the film of the year. It won't dazzle you or make you cry a hundred times over. But it will give you a couple of hours' worth of solid and fun-filled entertainment. Molly Parker is alluring and charismatic, and Andy Jones is an absolutely brilliant standout.
William Hurt, however, is lacking. Perhaps it's simply because every time I see William Hurt attempting romance on the screen I picture the Elephant Man, but I really think he's a stock character here - or should I say a stock actor. He's just too awkward and stiff. Now, I know his character is *supposed* to be awkward and stiff, but he seems so in a more uncomfortable manner, it doesn't feel as though he's comfortable in his role.
That aside, the film is filled with light humour, and a great story full of quirks and chuckles. It's maybe fifteen minutes too long, drags a touch towards the end, but it certainly kept me interested. And Phonse (Andy Jones) is so good when he's on screen, he basically steals the show.
Overall, it's a warm and humourous film, a great film to watch amidst million dollar blockbusters that forgo plot and quality of film-making for big names and razzle-dazzle effects, and films that are begging for Oscars and take themselves WAY too seriously. It's nice to watch something that's 'just a film' for once! And the 'Made in Canada' doesn't hurt either! 7/10.