Love Birds

Rhys Darby, Sally Hawkins, Emily Barclay, Bryan Brown

Dir. Paul Murphy
Scr. Nick Ward

Thanks to some real cinematic gems that have come out of New Zealand over the last few years, I’ve really come to expect a lot of Kiwi films. Which is maybe why Love Birds fell flat for me – a boring, slightly random (and not in a good way) romantic comedy with some clunky acting and predictable plot. And I rarely laughed which, for me, was truly disappointing.

Love Birds tells the story of Doug (Darby), a happy-with-his-lot-in-life sort of guy transformed into a down-on-his-luck sort of guy after being dumped by his girlfriend. Doug, in a random twist of fate, discovers an injured duck on his roof. Attempts to give it to the zoo, a vet, a home for ducks all fail and Doug names it Pierre and decides to nurse it back to health. Both without a partner, they find a strange but sweet solace in each other. In his man-with-duck adventures he meets Holly (Hawkins), a bird expert at the Auckland Zoo and romance blossoms. Complete with complications, of course, which include her slightly creepy son, his ex-girlfriend and, unsurprisingly, Pierre.

There is a warmth to Love Birds which is certainly lacking in many romantic comedies to come out of Hollywood (which can too often be mean) or the UK (which can too often be depressing). But, unfortunately, warmth doesn’t necessarily grab an audience and I found myself tuning out. Some of the acting on offer here is good, some terrible. Bryan Brown is wasted in a short but just too crazy role as vet, Dr Buster. He simply grates. Faye Smyth, as Doug’s ex Susan, is just plain bad. And the kids that appear are not endearing or sweet or cute, just awful. Darby himself is a mixed bag, at times wooden and at times wonderful. I am a big fan of his stand-up and his Flight of the Conchords role, but he struggles to carry this film as a leading man should. Barclay, as fellow zoo worker and man crazy Brenda, is sweet and funny and really does shine. But it is Brit Hawkins who is all class and shows she’s a cut above the rest.

Love Birds really makes the most of its surrounds and showcases some very attractive parts of Auckland indeed. A great soundtrack, dominated by Doug’s favourite band Queen, also lends a pleasing air of familiarity to the film.

Overall, I guess Love Birds is a light, warm story of love and friendship. But this simply wasn’t enough and, coupled with a clichéd plot and some cringe-worthy acting, this Kiwi flick was disappointing. If you want to see a recent gem from New Zealand, I suggest you watch Boy.

The Adjustment Bureau

Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Terrence Stamp, Anthony Mackie, John Slattery

Dir. George Nolfi
Scr. George Nolfi (based on short story by Philip K Dick)

Possessed of the worst title of 2011 thus far, The Adjustment Bureau is an entertaining flick. But rocket science, it ain’t. Thanks largely to the performances of Damon and Blunt and their sizzling on-screen chemistry, this film is worth a look … but just don’t look too hard.

Matt Damon plays Congressman David Norris who, after an unsuccessful campaign to become a New York Senator, has his world turned upside down and inside out by a beautiful stranger (Elise) and a bunch of very mysterious, hat-wearing strangers. These hat-wearing, 50s throw-back “agents” of fate conspire to keep Norris and Elise (Blunt) apart, in an effort to keep Norris on his destined plan or path in life. Give her up or lose everything, that’s the ultimatum. Without giving too much away, the real guts of this film is whether to accept your fate or change your destiny. Whether you have the power to make that change at all or whether predetermined choices made by higher powers makes free will a farce. Hats are also very important, trust me.

Some will find this film silly. And it has its ridiculous moments, that’s for sure. You’ll need to suspend your disbelief a pretty darn long way. It lacks some key elements that you might expect from a typical thriller – a baddie, a watertight plot, believability. But if you’re prepared to just go along for the ride and not worry too much about everything fitting neatly together, well you might just have a grand time. Because there is a lot to like about The Adjustment Bureau.

You’ve got two great leads. Damon is wonderfully charismatic but also nicely vulnerable. He’s also got his share of Bourne moments – mostly running incredibly fast which he is very good at indeed. For my money, he’s the most bankable leading man in Hollywood today. Blunt is beautiful and spunky and enchanting. Together, sparks fly in a pleasing way. I have not witnessed such easy on-screen chemistry in quite some time. There is humour, mostly intentional, sometimes not. There is a sense, most of the time, that you’re in on the joke and the filmmakers are not taking themselves too seriously. Until it gets very serious in the final act, which is where this film falters. The special effects are minimal and subtle, making them very effective. The source material for this film dates back to the 1950s and you can tell. But this lends the film a charm rather than making it dated and we are always acutely aware this is modern-day New York.

The Adjustment Bureau is an odd film to categorise. Sure, on its surface, it’s a thriller. But it’s also science fiction or even fantasy, depending on your world view. Where it works best however is as a romance – Damon and Blunt’s chemistry will make you smile and hope that, in the end, love truly conquers all.