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David Portnoy (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a big birder and is even in the Young Bird Society in his school. His mother is dead. His father Donald Portnoy (James Le Gros) is getting married to Juliana Santos (Daniela Lavender). His best friend girl-obsessed talkative Timmy Barsky (Alex Wolff) is also in the YBS. Then David thinks that he saw an extinct duck. Also Ben Kingsley plays expert birder Lawrence Konrad. The group goes in search of the duck with the help of student photographer Ellen Reeves (Katie Chang).

This is sorta like 'Stand by Me' with bird watching for awhile. It worked better as such. It pains me to say this but the movie is better off without Ben Kingsley in the second half. There is a reasonable coming of age movie. It's nothing special or original but it's somewhat cute. I was hoping it could keep going on that trail. The arrival of Kingsley broke up the group's chemistry. It's still a cute little movie. Kodi does a great job as the geeky lead. The kids are very natural. I wish the movie kept with just the four kids in the woods.

"A Birder's Guide to Everything" is an unassuming little charmer about a quartet of teenaged ornithologists who go in pursuit of a duck long believed to be extinct by experts in such matters. But, as the title itself suggests, "birding" is about a whole lot more than just seeking out and categorizing rare birds; it's about friendship, camaraderie, first love, learning to let go and growing up.

Kodi Smit-McPhee plays David Portnoy, a high school boy who's having trouble coming to terms with the death of his beloved mother a year-and- a-half ago, a renowned ornithologist herself who instilled an intense love for birds in her son that he carries with him to this very day. His grieving process is not being helped by the fact that his father (James Le Gros) is slated to marry the nurse (Daniela Lavender) who took care of his mother in her dying days. David rebels in the only way a non-troublemaking, bird-obsessed boy really can - by piling into a "borrowed" car with his equally bird-obsessed buddies and going off through the woods of Upstate New York to prove the world wrong about that aforementioned duck.

Written by Luke Matheny and Rob Meyer and directed by Meyer, "A Birder's Guide to Everything" is filled with humor, warmth, and winning performances by Alex Wolff and Michael Chen as David's lifelong pals, as well as Katie Chang as the initially skeptical but sufficiently open- minded fellow student who joins the boys in their quest. Ben Kingley also gets in on the fun as a professional ornithologist who worked with David's mother and has a few words of wisdom to impart to the mourning lad on the eve of his dad's nuptials.

Along with some dazzling scenery, "A Birder's Guide to Everything" manages to drive home a few basic truths - like it really is okay to march to the beat of your own drum - with its deceptively simple tale of a boy and his birds.

Not gonna lie, I was expecting a very sleepy, weird and well, extremely boring film. Sure, birds are lovely, but it sounds very dull to watch an entire movie about it. The only reason i even watched it was because i saw Kodi Smit-McPhee in Romeo & Juliet and i thought he was the best part of that movie. So i thought i'd give this movie a try.

If you don't like kind of slow movies, then i guess this might not be a movie for you. I was a bit scared when i saw how long it was, but the time actually flew by (no pun intended lol). It was entertaining and even quite funny sometimes. But most of all, i saw myself a lot in the lead character. I'm actually in a quite similar family situation right now. Lost a parent a few years ago (the same age as the character) and now i'm kind of trying to live with the fact that there's a new partner in the picture. I'm of legal age now so it's not like i have a new dad, but it's still a very strange thing to experience.

If you have been/are in a similar situation, then i would totally recommend watching this movie. It made me feel less alone at least. If you haven't been in that situation or isn't interested in birds...then you might find it a bit dull. But i think you should give it a try cause it's a sweet film.

This is a pleasant enough story, with apparently intelligent writing about birds and about life as teenagers. Alex Wolff is the standout actor here, if you don't count Sir Ben Kingsley. More about him later. But Timmy is a great character. And Katie Chang makes quite a contribution also. Ellen has a nice personality and is smart, but she has had trouble making friends because she moves a lot.

Kodi Smit-McPhee does a good job of being an ordinary kid, and is most effective when David has to show grief.

Ben Kingsley makes the most of what turns out to be a small role, but his first scene is not the only one. He really shows his ability later. This isn't the type of movie you would expect him to be in, but his presence adds to the movie.

The scenery is great too when the actual bird watching takes place.

Is this is good clean family film? Not quite. There is some sex talk and some words make it to broadcast TV that younger kids shouldn't hear, though others have multiple meanings and must therefore be all right. When I saw this, fairly often, the sound went out and a character's mouth was blurred. One word in particular was actually used twice (though I heard a P once before the rest of the word was bleeped), once in subtitles when the guys were speaking Latin, and not to refer to a cat. But I don't think the revelation that Donald Trump used the word in a more vulgar way had any influence on the censors. I think they did their job long before the news about the Donald.

I didn't care for most of the music (but of course this a film for teens), but the guys do like classical music, and several scenes involving the grownups, including the wedding, had jazz that would have fit perfectly in the great Woody Allen movie set in 1940 that I saw the same weekend I saw this.

It's a worthy effort.

I would love to refer this film, but I can't because of the gunge. The bad outweighs the good. Arg.

The actors are all spot-on and fabulous and fun. Loved seeing Ben Kingsley and James Le Gros. And we liked meeting Katie Chang.

The scenery is absolutely beautiful.

The story is important and heart-wrenching and motivating and quick-witted.

But the vocabulary and the references are mundane, unimaginative, low-brow, and just plain "ew". They weigh the whole thing down like oil on a duck. Ironically, this crude language is making our clever and thoughtful words evermore extinct and narrowing our language and our minds. Sad.

Have you been wanting to watch a coming of age story featuring predominantly well-off Caucasian youth? Adults who don't appear to ever actually work? Endless shots of blissful Americana during the Golden Hour? Do you want to watch a painfully oblivious father whose worst challenge in life appears to be coercing his son into (inappropriately) acting as his best man? Then this is the movie for you!

It also has a lot of really poor dubbing and audio cleanup work that's distracting. And I'm not really sure how the Asian kid is anything other than a racist portrayal.

I'll take The Goonies and Harold and Kumar instead. They're better on the coming of age, road trip, and stereotype fronts.

Well worth seeing. Excellent cast and dialog. A bit predictable but that's forgivable given the overall quality of the film.

Call me crazy, but I think that a movie centered around birds should make sure not to include major bird errors. My boyfriend and I are both long-time birders and our social lives, weekend plans, and wardrobe choices usually revolve around our love of birds and birding. This movie had us cracking up (it's great to watch after a few beers) with how ridiculous it was.

A Labrador Duck looks nothing like a Mallard. And it wouldn't be walking up a suburban street. You wouldn't find an eclipse plumaged White-winged Scoter walking up a suburban street either. American Kestrel just chilling on a roof? Nah brah. There are more than 3 critically endangered duck species, and West Indian Whistling-Duck is not one of them. They didn't even get the scientific name of the Labrador Duck correct.

Also, who uses film cameras nowadays besides artists who consciously prefer them as a medium?

I love the growing popularity of birding in pop culture, but please do it right!

The basis of the plot (glimpsing this rare duck) is completely far-fetched, but other plot elements are also a little forced. The acting was decent in my eye, but the character development was lacking, and there were countless tropes. The script-writing could have been better, but we appreciated the frequent moments of absurdity. Like I said, an OK movie to watch after a few drinks and laugh at with friends, but as a whole, it lacked factual integrity.

Saw this film at Tribeca and I LOVED it! It's one of those movies anyone can watch and get something out of. It made me laugh, cry, and self-reflect. For a film to do all of those things - that's powerful. I enjoyed the film for its humor, originality, and emotional dimension. When you are a kid and tragedy strikes it's hard to bounce back and feel sturdy in your surroundings - this film takes you back to that uneasiness and shows a view of life through the eyes of a motley crew of teenagers, figuring out their role in a series of eye-opening events on a quest for more than just an extinct duck. The characters are funny, well developed, and real. The coming of age concept is something I think everyone can relate to in some way or another. This film can remind of us that sometimes life itself is a quest with many surprises along the way and that we are never too old for an adventure. The fact that the film was co-written says a lot about the talent and caliber of the writers. I think the collaboration was a huge contribution to the realness of the characters and is what helps this film appeal to a variety of audiences. Props, Rob and Luke!

There is nothing about A Birder's Blah Blah Blah worth spending any of your time on.

A Birder's Blah Blah Blah is an indie coming of age cliché-fest, from it's overly wordy (and inaccurate) title to the forgettable indie pop snippets used here and there because that is what you do when you make this sort of film.

If A Birder's Blah Blah Blah had been a Made-For-Nickelodeon film it might have rated 3 stars for not being a cartoon made with humans (mostly...it does dip into human cartoon territory). But as a stand alone film it just raises the question "Why would anyone bother making this?" A Birder's Blah Blah Blah looks good and despite the characters being complete clichés the main actors are good (James Le Gros as the main character's dad particularly stood out).

The minor character are either so cardboard like they're barely noticeable or they're cartoon buffoons. The fault here seems to lie with the director as there is a consistency to the forgettable or annoying characters.

Watching A Birder's Blah Blah Blah is a chore as it's very boring and it brings to mind coming-of-age films which are infinitely better (Stand By Me, which also deals with a group of outsider friends on a quest to find something unusual) or were at least a little interesting because they weren't so predictable (such as the Kings of Summer).

If you watch a lot of movies you have seen everything in A Birder's Guide To Blah Blah before and could probably successfully predict each plot "twist" and soul baring conversation.

If you don't watch a lot of movies and you want to see something that is easy to watch while lying on the couch on pain meds recovering from injury or surgery then A Birder's Blah Blah Blah would be a nice choice as it'd be easy to fall asleep to and not confusing to wake up to.

If you're a birder looking for a film about your interest, look elsewhere. You will be disappointed...Unless you're on a couch on pain meds recovering from injury or surgery.

Rarely has my entire family agreed that a film we're watching is so bloody awful that we simply cannot continue watching. After struggling through about two-thirds of this amateurish mess, terrible acting, and awful script, we finally decided enough was enough and bemoaned our throwing away six bucks to watch this idiotic crap on demand. Apparently Ben Kingsley will do anything for a pay check, because why he would throw away his considerable, proved talent for this trash is utterly bewildering. None of the characters are remotely likable, the script panders embarrassingly to prurient male juvenile titillation (oh, yeah - lots of plays on titmouse and similar to evince yucks from boys), and the "plot" is so transparent as to be insulting. Throw in a breast flash early on (from the soon-to-be stepmom!), plenty of pubescent sexual innuendo and references to other female anatomy, and this film seems to have been made by- and for- emotionally stunted 13-year olds. I can see by other rave reviews that this film obviously has a target demographic and audience, but if this is what teen birders are supposed to be like, I say next time you see an adolescent boy with binoculars wandering around your campsite, call the park rangers and report him!

This movie is just fantastic. The chemistry between the four teenagers will win anyone over. Beautiful shots of nature and a wonderful story that anyone can relate to. Performances by Sir Ben Kingsley and Alex Wolf are highlights. Highly recommended for all ages. This movie deals with loss so well that it can help heal all who see the film. It also has some of the funniest moments I have seen in a movie theatre in some time. It is to Tribeka Film Festival's credit that they chose this film for their 2013 screenings. If there is a chance to see this film do not let it pass by. Nobody would regret the experience.Congratulations to the film makers.

This is a sweet and moving film that goes beyond your ordinary feel-good movie. The layered story and its characters touch on grief, growing up, family, friendship, adventure and birds. Some topics that come up are: a father-son relationship, first crush, hiking, marriage, coming to terms with losing a loved one, competition and of course, bird-watching (which you will learn about in an authentic way). It is completely engaging, earnest and real. It is gorgeous to watch as the nature scenes are beautifully filmed. The acting is honest and the characters are delightful. It is also very, very funny. I loved it, as did my 14 year old son. I would recommend it for tweens, teens and adults.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, shown at a benefit for The Wild Bird Fund Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Center in NYC. There's a lot to like--the characters are well drawn, particularly the teens who passionately embark on a quest to sight and document a supposedly extinct duck. There's lots of delightfully nerdy tomfoolery amongst them. On the serious side, this movie's also about loss of a loved one and finding your way forward from that. It's moving, while still remaining humorous and full of bird lore. Birders and non-birders alike will adore the nature photography. Ben Kingsly, as a revered bird expert, radiates his usual star quality. Don't miss it.

I saw this film at a benefit screening for the Wild Bird Fund in New York. It was the perfect audience for a story about bird lovers, but this smart, sad, funny film will appeal to everyone. The young cast is uniformly excellent, so the story of geeky misfits on a quest seems fresh rather than something you've seen a dozen times before. And unlike so many teenagers in movies, the writers and director treat these characters with respect. A boy who is still grieving for his mother, and coping with his father's imminent remarriage, corrals his friends -- and the obligatory cute girl tagging along -- into taking an impromptu camping trip, on the trail of a duck that may belong to a species long thought extinct. There are few surprises, but this intelligent well-crafted story doesn't need them.

Since maybe 2011 (around the time The Big Year was released), it seems that the sport or birding (known informally and incorrectly by many people as "bird-watching") has been flirting with mainstream recognition. An abundance of films on the topic have been made within the last few years, and basic research on my behalf shows birding events occurring all over the world.

"Absolutely anyone can be a birder. Except for blind people, I suppose," Ben Kingsley's character in A Birder's Guide to Everything, the latest entry in "birding cinema," if there were such a thing. The film stars Kodi Smit-McPhee as David Portnoy, a fifteen-year-old who loves birding and believes he has spotted a Labrador Duck, a species which is believed to have gone extinct. He snaps a blurry but somewhat discernible picture that erects hope that the bird is migrating to a common migration point that, of course, requires a coming-of-age road trip with some buds. David brings his assorted, quirky band of pals such as the rambunctious Timmy (Alex Wolff of The Naked Brothers Band fame), the awkward and asthmatic Peter (Michael Chen), and the group's crush Ellen (Katie Chang), pretty much because she's a female as they drive down in a buddy's car he technically didn't consent to loaning. If you're wondering where Kingsley comes in, he plays a birding expert, adding another element of diversity to his long-successful acting career.

The reasons for chasing the bird are aplenty. A good part of the reason is the team's love and fondness for nature and the outdoors, but, according to Timmy, the benefit is that proving that the Labrador Duck is actually a living species will help them "fame-wise, money-wise, and vagina-wise." I almost forgot to mention A Birder's Guide to Everything's deals with some complex themes such as birding and the functionality of teenage hormones. The latter needs no explanation as to why I believe it's complex, but I believe birding is one of the most difficult sports around because of the fact that I think it would be hard or next to impossible to hold down a full-time job while being an avid birder. You have to be willing to travel all over the world in hopes of spotting a rare bird just for a few seconds, which will hopefully be another time for you to snap a clear picture of your subject.

The film is another one of those contemporary coming-of-age films that follow a group of eclectic characters as they try to understand their position in life and what they're destined for in the real world. This usually helps when they have unstable homelives and are fascinated with an arbitrary topic such as birding. I use a tone of sarcasm here because of the fact that while A Birder's Guide to Everything really doesn't do anything wrong, these contemporary coming-of-age films are only a hair away from becoming a cliché. While I scarcely tire of films centered around teens and their struggles, many of these films are beginning to mesh together, what with last year's The Kings of Summer and Mud having very similar premises, despite both being brilliant films. If these films continue to be made with the same kind of quirky formula, eventually they will lose their uniqueness and become as cliché as the films centered around the nerdy guy getting the gorgeous girl.

Even with this idea, A Birder's Guide to Everything is still a wholesome little exercise, smart, genial, and utilizes its PG-13 rating with plausibility. I always fear coming-of-age films with PG-13 ratings because that ultimately means sexual content and language are kept to a minimum, which is simply not reality in many teenagers' lives today. However, this film utilizes it conservatively but believably, not making the subject matter go out of its way to be offensive nor neuter itself to the realm of not being believable.

It's also easy to appreciate the work by Kodi Smit-McPhee along with Alex Wolff, who got his start on the Nickelodeon program The Naked Brothers Band (but the less said about that the better). Both Smit-McPhee and Wolff have true potential to go on to be strong, capable actors in a wide-variety of work. Smit-McPhee portrays listless but not helpless in a way that works in a way that doesn't feel like a pitiful cry for cheap sympathy, and Wolff's energy and controlled goofiness carry his character.

Then there's the fact that A Birder's Guide to Everything effectively illustrates how one man's passion is another man's bewilderment, seeing as David's father (James Le Gros) has no concept nor practical knowledge to how his son's fervent love for birding works. It's hardly uncommon for parents to be struggling at trying to identify their children's hobbies, especially in the tumultuous world we live in today, where the likes and dislikes of kids grow increasingly peculiar thanks to things like the internet. Co-writer/director Rob Meyer and Luke Matheny illustrate this by telling it like it is; David's father has no idea (or real interest) in what his son likes.

A Birder's Guide to Everything is often just as odd as its title, but its warmness, depiction of an offbeat hobby, its quirky but realistic line of characters, and instances that beautifully detail birding and teen hormones are filled with all the tenderness and heart needed to make a project like this succeed as a whole.

Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Alex Wolff, Michael Chen, Katie Chang, James Le Gros, and Ben Kingsley. Directed by: Rob Meyer.

"I think I may have found an extinct duck." David Portnoy (Smit-Mcphee) is your typical high school bird watcher. He spends all his free time outside looking for any type of bird he can find which also keeps him away from his dad's new fiancé who he doesn't approve of. While out one day he thinks he spots an extinct species of duck. When him and his friends take the picture to famous birder Lawrence Konrad (Kingsley) they become more excited when he doesn't disagree with the findings. They decide to take a weekend trip to where they think the duck went to verify what they found, the same weekend as his father's wedding. Going into this I had the same reaction 90% of people will have, a movie about bird watching...super fun. Even though I liked The Big Year I still wasn't all that excited about watching this. Once again though I ended up liking this more then I expected to. The movie was more of a coming of age movie then another Big Year type movie. I was surprised with how much I liked this and I do recommend this. Overall, a mix of Kings Of Summer, Way Way Back and Sasquatch Gang with a dash of Napoleon Dynamite . I give this a B+.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this film, but I really enjoyed it. I'm not a birder, but thought the bird photography was beautiful. The story had everything you could want. The well-developed characters were very likable. A Birder's Guide to Everything is a movie for everyone. It was entertaining, but had lots of depth. At first, I thought the film was going to be very predictable. I was pleasantly surprised at the twists and turns that followed. The audience in the theater where I saw the movie reacted to events in the film, and applauded at the end. I hope this film gets lots of notice! I think Luke Matheny has a bright future ahead of him.

It's always a delight to see a story of just normal people being portrayed by fine actors. A that's what 'A Birder's Guide to Everything' offers for enjoyment.

The setting is a well heeled neighborhood and community with children that are focused and well educated. These 'teens' enjoy learning and seeking out the natural world around them. David Portnoy thinks he has discovered a long extinct duck. He consults Lawrence Konrad (an accomplished bird watcher) and Konrad encourages David to follow the migration of the duck. At this point we see friends go into the woods and not only discover the nature around them but the nature of their own personalities and the conflicts it can bring. These four teens are celebrating life while seeking the elusive duck.

In a pivotal scene the bird is discovered. In this scene death suddenly rears it hideous head and David suffers emotionally.

Now I do not know if this was intentional but one of the men (hunters) is prominently wearing a Christian cross. So here we have children celebrating life; religion suddenly interjects itself and death enters. Even the reason for killing the duck includes conflict and death. I think this is a wonderful subliminal message showing the evil profits of religion.

This is a fine and delightful film, beautifully photographed and scripted. You can't go wrong renting this one.