The three leads deliver expected solid performances and Black is especially inviting and sympathetic as an aimless (except for birds), thirty-something who abandons life's duty for the chance to wear the crown of birding. There is an eye-popping list of actors, includin Angelica Huston, Brian Dennehy, Diane Wiest, and others offering strong selfless support.
The screen is often a flurry of computer graphics depicting competing bird counts, maps, and images of species, while the camera trails the birder's wayward paths like a bloodhound in pursuit. The birds themselves, more often than not, are just short of genuine, with a Disney-like touch up, making them appear like a distant naturalized cousin to an actual bird.
It somehow all works. It's a breezy yet frantic romp in pursuit of something forever elusive. An attempt to define life by the achievement of a task, in this case the number of birds found and recorded in a calandar year.
Article comments
1 - Nancy
Isn't it Jack Black?
2 - Guy De Federicis
Duh! I can't believe I made such a glaring mistake in this review! Frank Black is an indie rock artist, (Frank Black and The Catholics), whose music I have recently listened to. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Hopefully the editor will correct it.
3 - Darrel
Aside from the funny actors, I like the movie because of the story about bird watching. That is one of my hobbies. Ang I was surprised that they used Kowa BD series binoculars which I've been also using. The BD performed exceptionally well
as he checked off over 740 species including his sought after Great Gray Owl and Pink-footed Goose. Great choice!