When this came out, I was turned-off by the negative reviews. But, I do have a soft spot for birding, so I figured I’d give it a try… Wow – what a pleasant surprise! I’m not sure what it was the critics didn’t like. The movie had an interesting premise, good acting, a few laughs and a lot of charm. The characters were multidimensional – we got to see them work to balance their love of birding with the loves of their lives, and the movie just had a real good balance and pace. It’s hard to find honest, uplifting movies that aren’t totally sappy. This one delivers.
One other thing I really appreciated; this movie respected the audience. It wasn’t filled with ridiculous gags you don’t believe, and it didn’t resort to making up bird species with silly names. The humor was thankfully reigned-in by honesty. And the little tidbits of truth thrown-in, like the Snowcocks in the Ruby Mountains (there is an established population of Himalayan Snowcocks only in the Ruby Mountains – and you can bet that any birder looking for species would seek them out), the trip to Atu, and the role the seasons & weather played in the plot… that is what made the movie. I just have to say “thank you” to everyone involved in this for making it right.
Ok, I admit it… I watched this. I honestly don’t know why. And as I’m writing this about two years after I saw it… I can’t really remember it. It was the kind of thing where halfway through, I wish I could have turned to myself to say “hey, what are you doing? Shouldn’t you be cleaning the crud out of your toenails or something?”. Ya, I probably should have done that instead.