Bluebird

This terrific little thriller is one of those small film-festival darlings that will ultimately not get seen by enough people. Roland Møller stars as an ex-con, freshly released, who gets a job as a dishwasher while staying at a mother-daughter (Veerle Baetens & Lola Le Lann) run hotel. The two women each have their own issues... and trouble soon finds them all in various ways. This is a great story that asks the age-old question, "Can you teach an old dog new tricks?"

The screenplay and the movie both got some flaws. It was adapted from Dannie Martin's first novel published in 1995. The movie was shot in a very dark and cold tone, the background locality may be in Montreal, Canada just like where the novel located. The movie itself is not a bad one, with limited cast but quite a good casting job.

The movie put the leading character got a dish washing job in a Chinese buffet restaurant. But the filthy kitchen and the dish-washing area were so disgusting and so messy, it looked more like a dump instead of a well maintained one. I just wondered if Canada or the City of Montreal got Health Dept. like what we got in America that regularly inspected all the restaurants and food industries. If by the basic requirements and the standard regulations, the kitchen and the dish washing room of that Chinese buffet restaurant might have to be shut down and may not pass to have a permit to be allow open for business and serving food, until the guy was hired to do the dish washing job.

The movie itself is watchable, but there were moments that almost made me to give up, because it's a slow going and in a very boring tempo. Neither the mother nor the daughter got likable personalities, the boss woman of the Chinese buffet restaurant was also a deadbeat cast. As to the mobsters, just a bunch of poorly organized local thugs. All the fights, gunfights, shootings and killings, we didn't see any police presence, maybe it's the low and limited budget not big enough to involve more manpower and cop's cars?

This is just an okay movie.

Looked good from a trailer so went in on that premise and it delivered.

Nothing to outside of the realm of a gritty genre film. Recently released convict works for place to stay. Hotel owners kid befriends convict. Convict becomes her protector. Reminded me of a few films...and that's where the "formulaic" came into play.

It is worth a watch, mild complaints aside. It's a simple premise and storyline. Acting and cinematography hold their own.

6.5/10

A very solid drama/thriller indie film that flies very low under the radar. I happen to come across this film when channel surfing on YoutubeTv. The synopsis: Danny is an ex-convict who aspires to a quiet life, and becomes friends with his landlady and Clara, the latter's granddaughter, with whom he begins to have an affectionate fatherly relationship. Without spoiling what happens this film is very gritty and dark but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It doesn't matter how your story starts but matters how it ends. This movie features very strong performances and the cinematography is beautiful. My only beef with this film is that it feels very condensed/short. I feel like there may be a Director's Cut out there somewhere. A Bluebird in My Heart stole my heart and gets a solid 7 stars out of 10. Don't forget about the Indie films!

Having worked in the corrections field, this was darn-near a perfect casting. The convict was what you'd see 6 out of 10 times on early release. The mother was a little jaded but alert--nothing got past her (most times). The young girl did what young girls likely do--sneak a smoke or some weed. The ending HAD to go that way, and it was an excellent finish. **I agree with another reviewer that the shower scene was awkward** I was pleasantly surprised by all aspects of this production--and I'd recommend it--highly.