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IMDbPro

De drôles d'oiseaux

Original title: Rare Birds
  • 2001
  • R
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1.9K
YOUR RATING
William Hurt, Andy Jones, and Molly Parker in De drôles d'oiseaux (2001)
Home Video Trailer from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Play trailer1:25
1 Video
19 Photos
ComedyDramaMysteryRomance

A down-and-out restaurateur and his neighbor hatch a plan to lure luminaries to their small Newfoundland town.A down-and-out restaurateur and his neighbor hatch a plan to lure luminaries to their small Newfoundland town.A down-and-out restaurateur and his neighbor hatch a plan to lure luminaries to their small Newfoundland town.

  • Director
    • Sturla Gunnarsson
  • Writer
    • Edward Riche
  • Stars
    • William Hurt
    • Andy Jones
    • Molly Parker
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    1.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Sturla Gunnarsson
    • Writer
      • Edward Riche
    • Stars
      • William Hurt
      • Andy Jones
      • Molly Parker
    • 38User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
    • 60Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 9 nominations total

    Videos1

    Rare Birds
    Trailer 1:25
    Rare Birds

    Photos19

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    Top cast22

    Edit
    William Hurt
    William Hurt
    • Dave
    Andy Jones
    • Phonce
    Molly Parker
    Molly Parker
    • Alice
    Vicky Hynes
    • Deb
    Greg Malone
    • Buster Bartlett
    Michael Chiasson
    • Dr. Jack Tomlinson
    Barry Newhook
    • Caller #1…
    Laura Tobin
    • Girl #1
    Maggie Meyer
    • Girl #2
    Frankie O'Neill
    • Brit Woman
    Lawrence Barry
    Lawrence Barry
    • Hooligan
    Leah Lewis
    • Bette
    Todd Perrin
    • Cook
    Deidre Gillard-Rowlings
    Deidre Gillard-Rowlings
    • Waitress
    Matthew Clarke
    • Bartender
    John Moyes
    • Male Diner
    Sheila McCarthy
    Sheila McCarthy
    • Claire
    Brian Hennessey
    • Cortini
    • (as Bryan Hennessey)
    • Director
      • Sturla Gunnarsson
    • Writer
      • Edward Riche
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews38

    6.31.8K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    10yossarian100

    One of the most entertaining little movies I've ever seen!

    What does a recovered package of cocaine, a gourmet restaurant in the middle of nowhere, two of the most delightful and oddest friends I've ever met, the most naturally sexy redhead I've ever seen, Svetkoff Lights, a 1200 pound ultra-light submarine, an extinct species of duck, and undercover agents from the RCP have in common? One of the most entertaining little movies I've ever seen! The author driven screenplay kept me chuckling for the entire movie and I did not want the movie to end. What an absolute delight for both a story and a film. I loved it!!!
    6=G=

    Rare birds. Well done movie.

    "Rare Birds" tells of a hapless Newfoundland restaurant owner/cook (Hurt) whose remote seaside restaurant is suffering from insufficient patronage due to a lack of advertising. A quirky friend (Jones) hatches a plot suggesting Hurt report the sighting of a nearly extinct duck to encourage bird watchers to flock to his eatery thereby stimulating his business while he's being stimulated by thoughts of his comely waitress (Parker)...etc. A fun and earnest flick which trudges through it's wry tale relying on understated tongue-in-cheek humor and quirkiness for entertainment, the film includes other salients such as a home made submarine, 22 pounds of cocaine, some much coveted sheet lights, and an RCMP SWAT team for additional substance. Overall, "RB" is a warm hearted little flick for those who don't mind off-kilteredness and the absence of the usual Hollyweird appurtenances. (B-)
    6wisewebwoman

    Disappointing and uneven

    What a waste of a good cast and exquisite scenery. Moments of humour and greatness but with an absolutely awful subplot that went nowhere about cocaine. And to make matters worse it shows the character of William Hurt using it on a regular basis in the movie. All the main characters needed a dialogue coach apart from Andy Jones who looked surprised at times at running out of good script moments (what, again?). William Hurt had one of the most hit and miss accents of any movie. It was all rather a shame as there was both a good premise and a great promise in the film. Some awful editing too to add to this disjointed effort. Perhaps all the behind the scenes people were busy snorting.....the whole mess certainly reflects it. 6 out of 10 for Andy and the scenery.
    6boblipton

    What Goes On Up There

    William Hurt has a failing restaurant in Newfoundland and an estranged wife in Washington D. C. He and friend Andy Jones -- who's building a small submarine -- discover a lot of cocaine in Hurt's wine cellar. After they establish it is good cocaine (so to speak), Hurt starts a rumor that a type of duck thought extinct has been spotted in the bay his isolated restaurant sits on. Suddenly people start showing up to look for the duck and eat, and his first hire is Molly Parker.

    It's a very low-key comedy, as the heat develops between Hurt and Miss Parker, Jones' submarine gets an outing, and some guys who are obviously not birders set up in a Winnebago near the restaurant.

    Hurt has always been a puzzle to me as a movie star -- and, according to reports, to himself as well. He moves slowly from inert, depressed lump to hopeful lump and I can see the emotional journey, but it's the situations and fog-bound images that held my interest. The movie itself is a paean to the polite eccentrics of Canada.
    8Clercx

    Highely underrated, lovely absurd movie

    In this day and age of fast paced, overstylished movies, comes this tale of a chef and his close friend, who tries to save his buddies deserted restaurant, by inventing the sighting of a near extinct duck near the location to attract customers.

    While this is going on, there is still time left to work on a recreational submarine, in a basement which is filled with cocaine and the most strange flat lamps.

    Hurt is acting his guts out as the clumsy, near nerve wrecked chef who's lost in an absurd world. And there is romance too.

    Well, it's a long time ago I didn't see a movie which reminded me of another one, and this alone is quite an accomplishment. A lovely little movie, quite serene and if you ask me highly underrated pearl of creative cinema.

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    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film had expended most of its modest budget, but producers from Terre-Neuve (2001), also filmed in Newfoundland, contributed the equipment and crew to complete the final shot.
    • Goofs
      Level of wine glass when Dave and Phonse are eating in the kitchen.
    • Quotes

      Phonce: There's two kinds of people in the world: those whose arse holes seize up during a crisis and those who shit themselves. Winston Churchill, during the blitz for instance - his sphincter locked with bulldog determination. They say he never shit during the entire Battle of Britain.

    • Soundtracks
      Don't You Know
      Written by Bobby Worth

      Performed by Della Reese

      Courtesy of RCA Records

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    FAQ16

    • How long is Rare Birds?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 18, 2003 (Italy)
    • Country of origin
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Rare Birds
    • Filming locations
      • Cape Spear, Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Big Pictures Entertainment
      • Pope Productions
      • Rare Productions Ltd.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $5,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 39m(99 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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