365. Birds of A Feather; movie review

BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Cert U
88 mins
BBFC advice: Contains very mild scary scenes, violence, language

Throughout the year there are a sprinkling of movies which are aimed at the under-fives and, to be honest, without having the verdict of one, they are fairly difficult to judge.
Would a small child laugh or even smile at the antics of the gulls and swifts in Birds Of A Feather? Who knows?
This movie by Andrea Block and Christian Haas was originally aimed at a German audience but I can't imagine much has been lost in the translation which is voiced by the likes of Kate Winslet and Willem Dafoe.
They voice two seagulls who are desperate for a child and think it is a gift when a baby turns up near their nest.
The only problem is that the chick turns out to be a swift (Josh Keaton) rather than a gull.
Regardless, they bring Manou up as their son and as a gull, trying to feed him fish and attempting to instil a love of water.
Indeed, his world is turned upside down when he discovers the truth.
Shocked, he flies away from home, where he meets birds of his own species and finds out who he really is. 
However, when both seagulls and swifts face a dangerous threat, he realises the draw of family.
It is a story which is easy to follow and contains the moral messages surrounding friendship and family which should resonate with young children.
And there is some good music including one, particularly alluring jazz piece.
But, let's be frank, Birds Of A Feather will not live long in my memory.
However, I am not its target audience - and I find it impossible to know how well it will chime with small boys and girls.

Reasons to watch: Nice and light for small children
Reasons to avoid: If you need a movie with depth

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: Regurgitation
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? More than half of British Swifts have been lost since 1995 but the reasons underpinning this decline are unclear. Scientists are involved in research aiming to address these knowledge gaps, including tracking work using the latest technology.

Final Word. Christian Haas: "With a tight budget, we sometimes have to rethink creative decisions or just accept the fact that the result is not perfect but good enough to convey the story. During such a long period of production, there are always things in storytelling, design decisions, editing or animation you would do differently if you would start again." iToo

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