Birdland is a terrible film. A clumsy, poorly written film noir sequence that asks more questions than the film wants to answer. You will likely find the film more frustrating than exhilarating. There are moments that might give yourself to putting some time into this film.
Sheila Hood (Kathleen Munroe) is a detective who moonlights as a private eye. Sheila spends the movie telling the backstory to her fellow detective Calvin (Benjamin Ayres). Sheila sets up cameras to trap her ornithologist husband Tom (David Alpay) because she thinks he is cheating on her. The dialogue between Sheila and Calvin in telling the story is really bad, corny dialogue. Munroe's portrayal of Sheila is particularly mundane and monotone. This is a deliberate choice for an otherwise good actor.
The backstory is that Tom has been charged with the deaths of Merle James (Melanie Scrofano) and Ray Starling (Joris Jarsky). Starling was Merle's boyfriend and she was sleeping with Tom. There was motive and opportunity.
The most interesting people in the film are not the leads but the family dynamic between Merle, her sister Hazel (Cara Gee), and their father John James (Stephen McHattie). A film with this family as the protagonists would have been way better than Birdland.
Sheila loves watching the videos where she spies on Tom. You can believe her as a private eye but not as a detective; she is more of a voyeur in that she observes but doesn't really ask too many questions.
The film hints at darker sexual themes but uses the lightest, softest brushes to hint at them.
Watching Birdland helps if you view the film as a source of laughter instead of the intensity the actually outstanding music score wants you to believe.
The main issue with the film is there is a campy sense but the film isn't campy enough. A taste of fun but leaves you wanting nothing or more and you aren't sure which road to follow.
You can offer up a theory that Peter Lynch (director and co-writer) and Lee Gowan (co-writer) made the exact film they wanted to make. A dimly-lit, film noir picture with medium campy and unusual choices for the actors.
Scrofano, Gee, and McHattie are having fun with the picture. Gee gives a lovely performance; no one else is having this much fun with the film.
Grace Lynn Kung, one of my favourite Canadian actors, has a very brief role in the film.
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Why sit through Birdland? If you love film noir, the really good jazzy score, insomniacs who need a bad film in the middle of the night, and those who appreciate really poor dialogue. If you are going to see a bad film in this space, Birdland is a most excellent choice.
Birdland is not worth the price of a movie theatre ticket but for a cheap price, or even a streaming service with ads, the film has some positive elements and has its moments. Lower your expectations and you will likely be okay.
photo credits: Birdland film
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