Paulie, o Papagaio Bom de Papo

This is a really heart-warming family movie. It has absolutely brilliant animal training and "acting" (if you can call it like that) as well (just think about the dog in "How the Grinch stole Christmas"... it was plain bad training). The Paulie story is extremely well done, well reproduced and in general the characters are really elaborated too. Not more to say except that this is a GREAT MOVIE!

My ratings: story 8.5/10, acting 7.5/10, animals+fx 8.5/10, cinematography 8/10.

My overall rating: 8/10 - BIG FAMILY MOVIE AND VERY WORTH WATCHING!

You're thinking something along the lines of "a schmaltzy movie about a talking parrot. Puh-leeeeeez!" I had somewhat the same reaction when I came across this on cable. Then I looked at the cast and said to myself, gee, how bad can a script be when Gena Rowlands and Tony Shaloub sign on? And my gosh, there's Buddy Hacket, in his last full length studio movie. To cut to the chase, this is the kind of movie the Disney Studios used to make; a charming, witty, sentimental movie with appeal for the whole family, and a few life lessons thrown in for good measure. I was totally enchanted (and I'm 72!) and the movie made me forget my cynicism. Is it a "feel good" movie? For sure. And can't we do with a few more feel-good movies, as opposed to movies that, after seeing them, you either feel like taking a shower or hanging yourself (or both, in that order)?

Paulie sounds like the most saccharine, lachrymose and sentimental garbage you could ever find, yet it's actually much better than you might expect. The daftness of the plot could so easily have set the tone for the whole film, but actually in most other departments the film is charming.

In case you're wondering, Paulie is a parrot. Bought for a little girl with speech difficulties, Paulie becomes her best friend and goes everywhere with her. He even sits on her shoulder during speech therapy lessons, and eventually becomes a super-intelligent speaker himself. However, Paulie is sent away by the little girl's mother and he spends the rest of the film trying to get from N.Y.C to L.A to be re-united with her.

So, why does this awful-sounding film succeed relatively well? Firstly, it boasts some interesting and impressive animatronic effects. Secondly (and far more significantly) it has the courage to embrace its ludicrous premise and tells a genuinely moving, often humourous story without worrying too much about the obvious flaws in the storyline. Thirdly, it has several surprisingly strong performances, including Jay Mohr as a wily crook, Gena Rowlands as a kind old lady, and Cheech Marin (yes, the dope-smoking Cheech Marin!) as a musical immigrant. It might not be a classic, but Paulie is sound entertainment for kids of all ages.

Paulie is a "feel good" film about the life of an amazing parrot and the lives he touches. He starts out as the friend of a young girl, then lives with a dying woman, an Hispanic performer and a con man. He finally winds up as the subject of experiments at a laboratory, where he is befriended by an introverted Russian immigrant, played by the wonderful Tony Shalhoub. I won't give away the end of the film, but it'll bring tears to your eyes. You won't believe you are crying about a parrot! A nice little movie that'll make you laugh and cry and give you a feeling of hope!

Somehow, this movie manages to be invigorating, bittersweet, and heartwarming at the same time. Stars like Tony Shalhoub (from Providence) bring the tale to life. The story itself is inspiring. We see a desperate, up-and-down life through the most innocent eyes imaginable: a bird's.

Paulie begins his life as a baby parrot given to a little girl (played by Hallie Eisenberg, also known as the Pepsi girl) with a speech impediment. While she learns to speak correctly, so does Paulie. However, unlike most birds, he can speak and understand everything being said. The military father doesn't like the bird, so he is sent to a pawn shop and bought by an aging artist, Ivy. She teaches him manners, etc., while traveling across the country to find Paulie's owner. The movie continues with several twists of fate, until Paulie ends up at a laboratory where he is eventually hidden away in a basement, and found by a Russian custodian, who is touched by the bird's story. the plot is in keeping with the simple, metaphorical theme that language is a gift, and a curse. I would like to say that the soundtrack is astounding. A beautiful mixture of flute, digital base, and horns enhance the movie to the point of pure ecstasy. The sweeping camera angles and breathtaking scenery beautify the story even more. And, as a final remark, the puppetry is entirely believable. (Unlike in star wars, where Yoda resembles a Muppet) This film is one of my favorite movies, with the added remark that my wonderful parakeet of four years died recently. Overall, I give this movie **** out of four stars, two thumbs up, and a big hug.