Canadian filmmaker Sturla Gunnarsson directed this offbeat comedy about food, fowl, and friends. William Hurt plays Dave, a master chef and retiring owner of a failing gourmet restaurant founded, incongruously, in a small Newfoundland town. Ready to chuck it in, Hurt's character nurses his woes with wine, cocaine, and the droning of his ever-upbeat if wacky schemer of a friend, Alphonse (Andy Jones). Between dinners with Alphonse's attractive sister-in-law (Molly Parker) and terrifying rides in his homemade submarine, the pair drum up a plan to increase the eatery's business by announcing fake sightings of a rare bird in the vicinity. In no time, hungry out-of-town birdwatchers flock to Dave's place for spectacular meals--but they're not the only outsiders keeping a close eye on the unusual goings-on. A fun, anarchic, romantic film, Rare Birds is a terrific vehicle for Hurt's soulfulness, and sports a handful of truly memorable comic moments. Recommended. (T. Keogh)
Rare Birds
Lions Gate, 101 min., R, VHS: $69.99, DVD: $24.99, May 28 Volume 17, Issue 3
Rare Birds
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