Love Birds

6
2011 1 hr 43 min Comedy , Romance

Sometimes the best things in life happen on the fly. From the moment an injured duck crash-lands on Doug's roof, everything changes. Recently dumped and wallowing in self pity, Doug decides to nurse Pierre back to health with the assistance of an eccentric vet and bird specialist, Holly.

  • Cast:
    Rhys Darby , Sally Hawkins , Craig Hall , Bryan Brown , Faye Smythe , Mia Pistorius , Emily Barclay

Reviews

GamerTab
2011/02/24

That was an excellent one.

... more
SnoReptilePlenty
2011/02/25

Memorable, crazy movie

... more
TrueHello
2011/02/26

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

... more
Philippa
2011/02/27

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

... more
hbeerose
2011/02/28

At first I thought it was going to be kind of cheesy, but after Doug rescued the duck, I wanted to know what happened. This movie has some great messages about what's really important in life and I thought Doug and the duck where adorable. The longer I watched it, the more I liked it, especially when it had music from Queen. It seemed certain parts where written just to incorporate Queen's music, yet complimented the storyline perfectly. It's charming and profound; nothing crude or gratuitous. It's got a great ending and be sure to watch the footage during the credits ~ really cute. Definitely a great kids' movie, but I recommend it to everyone.

... more
Amy Adler
2011/03/01

Doug (Rhys Darby) has just been jilted by longtime galfriend, Susan. An item for two years, Susan can't stand the fact the Doug still lives in the house he inherited when his parents died, she'd prefer something more upscale. Also, she detests the fact that he adores the rock band Queen, having a wall devoted to their photos and playing their music constantly. So, she's had enough and walks out the door. Hurting immensely, Doug keeps the breakup news from his best buds at work and at play. Luckily, this road worker's attentions soon get diverted. A rare black duck lands on his roof, having broken a wing. Rescuing the bird, he takes it to a nearby small zoo, where the expert on winged creatures, Holly (Sally Hawkins) says she can't help him. Instead, she hands him a phone number for a nearby vet (Bryan Brown, how nice to see him!). Declaring that the bird will never fly again, the doc suggests that Doug foster it until he can find another solution. Settling the duck, which he names Pierre, with his own room, complete with Doug's former wading pool, he soon becomes very fond of his feathered friend. They sleep together and sometimes even take a bath together, when Pierre hops right in. Meanwhile, since Doug liked the looks of Holly, he tries to get "something going" with this nice lady. But, there are complications. Holly has a son, Taylor, who misses his deceased dad and detests Doug on sight. Then, Susan returns to make small overtures to her former flame once more. This confuses Doug, naturally. Between going to trivia contests at his favorite bar friends, trying to decide who he loves, and caring for Pierre, who suddenly gets lost in a woods, what will be Doug's near future expectations? Just ducky, that's what this movie is, viewers will adore it. Hawkins, a Brit star, is always welcome while Darby is handsome and charming. Other cast members of many ethnic groups are total delights, too. As for the scenery, how wonderful and exotic it is, looking nothing like other places on earth. The script is clever, the costumes are winning, and the direction is sure-footed and fun. On top of all this, the trained duck is beyond cute and quite talented, worth the price of the film entirely by himself. So, ducks, get your things in order and go find Love Birds for this coming weekend.

... more
selffamily
2011/03/02

I quite like Rhys Darby and I do like Sally Hawkins, so seeing this at my local video store, had to get it out. I was blown away by its humour, good, gentle story and fine acting. Fabulous aerial shots of Auckland, and a very well-trained duck. Yes, it's a corny story, and it's not earth-shattering,(but then neither is the asteroid). For its genre, it ticks all the boxes and entertains along the way. The kids are polished performers too. It's made me want to get up in a hot-air balloon, which probably isn't a good thing, but it held my attention all the way through - and there are not many movies that do that today. Full marks to all concerned. Will be going out to buy this one.

... more
TeamFilm
2011/03/03

I just saw this film and have to say that i was surprised and warmed by the kind of films they are making in New Zealand.As a European i had no idea what to expect (from New Zealand) coming into the film. Its not perfect, but in the end i didn't care, for i laughed, had a tear in my eye at times and had an all round good time. The performances are strong from both Kiwi comedian Rhys Darby and up and coming English star Sally Hawkins, as well as strong back up performances from Emily Barclay and veteran Aussie Bryan Brown.The real treat however for music lovers is the soundtrack provided courtesy of rock legends Queen. There was around 9 or 10 of Queen's greatest tracks in the film including 'Somebody to Love', 'Bicycle Race', 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'.As i said, its not perfect. But you know what, you wont care. Its just a good old fashioned movie of the type that we need more of. Overall this is a very sweet film with a difference and shows that New Zealand cinema is unique, alive and well.8/10

... more