THE STARLING

US, 2021, 102 minutes, Colour.

Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd, Kevin Kline, Timothy Olyphant, Daveed Diggs, Skyler Gisondo, Laura Harrier, Rosalind Chao, Kimberly Quinn, Loretta Devine, Ravi Kapoor.

Directed by Theodore Melfi.

We know that Melissa McCarthy is a successful hand at kinds of comedy. She has nothing to prove. However, with St Vincent and with Can You Ever Forgive Me?, She proved that she can do serious roles as well. This is basically a serious role with some comic touches. She is matched by Chris O’Dowd, also an effective screen presence both comic and serious.

There is an added pleasure in seeing Kevin Kline as the therapist who has retired and become a vet. There are quite a number of character actors in small supporting roles. The director, Theodore Melfi (St Vincent) coproducers with his wife, Kimberly Quinn, who plays Regina working at the institution.

And the starling? This is a bird whom we initially see preparing its nest with sweet wrappers and a baby is booty, a rather territorial bird who perches on the branch and dived bomb frequently at Melissa McCarthy’s Lily, working in her garden – a kind of war is declared, Lily wearing a helmet but nevertheless being attacked, buying the statue of an owl as a kind of scare-starling, getting some poison but killing the wrong bird, eventually chucking a rock at the starling and having to take it to the vet. The starling is in agent provocateur, perhaps a symbol of the complicated emotional conflicts emotional conflicts in Lily’s life.

Actually, the film is about the loss of a child, grief, depression, suicidal feelings, mental illness, therapy… Many audiences will be able to identify with the mother and father who have lost their child, the father blaming himself, in an institution, resisting therapy, finding a difficulty to relate to his wife, not recognising her bewilderment but her determination to cope, no matter what.

There are many scenes at the institution, couples therapy (their being seated at school desks rather than in a circle), visited family day, pottery therapy, weaving therapy. In the meantime, only works at the local supermarket, is distracted, finds some kind of relaxation in working in the garden, despite the starling, and has to drive an hour their impact to visit her husband who sometimes finds her but does not speak.

And there is interesting complexity also when the nurse at the institution suggests that Lilly get in touch with Dr Fine, now a vet (skilful but not always patient with the pet owners!). And it is a pleasure to see Kevin Kline, his enabling Lily to open out to him, offering some wise advice, visiting her husband. And, tending the starling after it is hit by the stone. And, spoiler, yes it does feel and flies off.

The film ends on an upbeat note, a farcical moment (and, yes, with the starling again).

1. The title? The bird? Making the nest, protecting the young, on the bridge, territorial, attacking Lilly, agent provocateur? Symbol?
2. The setting, the town, the pleasant home, grounds, gardening? The supermarket? The countryside and the travel to the institution? Interiors, grounds? Plant shops? Authentic atmosphere?
3. The musical score, the range of songs, inserted throughout the drama, the lyrics and the relevance to the characters experiences?
4. The prologue, Lilly and Jack painting the wall, talking about their daughter? The mystery of her death? Jack’s latest story, his sleeping in, blaming himself?
5. A film about grief, loss, depression, mental issues, suicide attempts, institutions, group therapy, individual therapy?
6. Melissa McCarthy as Lilly, a serious role, some comic touches? Age, experience, married to Jack, the scenes of happiness together, in the car, painting the room? Her shock at finding him missing from the bed, to the garage, opening the garage, his survival? Going to the institution? Her resilience, self-determination, not knowing the stages of grief, her erratic behaviour and distraction at the supermarket, comments from her boss, the young assistant, mistaking the prices and the run on goods, driving the hour and back to see Jack, the group therapy sessions, Regina and her interventions? The couple going for walks? Jack ringing Lilly but not speaking?
7. Lilly, trying to cope, selling the cot, all the furniture, the young couple and the exchange for the lounge chair? Simplicity in the house, the lounge, watching television, the religious exhortation programs? Working on the grounds, clearing, planting? The attack of the starling, the injuries? Going to the shop, buying the owl to scare the starling, the droppings on the owl? Wearing the helmet? Climbing the ladder, seeing the chicks, the starling attacking and her falling off the ladder?
8. Regina giving Lilly Dr Fine’s address? Discovering that he was a vet? The filling in his background, Johns Hopkins, backing out, uncertainties, thought of as a loser? His work as a vet, animals, customers, treatment? His assistant and her help? Lilly’s arrival, bewilderment, the beginning of the conversation?
9. Dr Fine, age, experience, therapy, giving it up, the vet? His dealing with pets, with the customers, with the young man distraught and his cat? Talking with Lilly, her visits, his suggestions, the stages of grief? Her walking in the rain, his wanting appointments? Her bringing the bird, the treatment, helping the bird? The taking at home, tending it, Dickie from the supermarket, his help and attention, attack by the bird, Lilly helping it, the drops, the wings bound? Its coming alive, Lilly’s joy, taking it out, the binding from the baby booty, letting it fly?
10. Jack and his story, teacher, suffering from depression, not taking his medication, the discussions with his doctor, taking notes, his scepticism? At the group discussions? Lilly and her visits, their talking, her attack on him, his being upset, refusing her visits, the visit from Dr Fine and their discussions, the effect, his change of heart, the phone call to Lilly and her talking? Going to the session, being honest, telling his story? The effect?
11. The staff at the centre, the doctor, Regina, her interventions with Lilly? Ben, his supervision of the craft sessions, pottery, weaving? The family day, Jack and his playing with the children, the animals, frightening the children, pushing Ben over? The men being the animals? Velma and her angry outburst at the group session? Working alongside Jack, friendly?
12. The reconciliation, walking and talking, Lilly and her stories, acknowledging the reality, grief? Jack and his honesty? Their going home, working in the garden, helmets, the jokey ending with the two birds attacking? (But what about the chicks in the nest – no narrative follow-up!)