The Starling

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2:39

The Starling

PG-13

Released Sep 17, 2021

1h 44m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

20%

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92 Reviews

72%

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250+ Ratings

After Lilly (Melissa McCarthy) suffers a loss, a battle with a territorial bird (The Starling) over dominion of her garden provides an unlikely avenue for her grief and the courage to heal her relationships and rediscover her capacity for love.

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Critics Consensus

Burying its talented cast and worthy themes under mounds of heavy-handed melodrama, The Starling is a turkey.

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Richard Roeper

Chicago Sun-Times

This bird's not worth watching.

Rated: 1.5/4

Oct 2, 2021

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Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

The dialogue lacks the saltiness that made St. Vincent work so well, and the many pauses in the action allow plenty of opportunity for mawkishness to seep in. While McCarthy is certainly the best thing in it, she does have her limits.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 30, 2021

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

It just doesn't get the mix quite right -- you can get from there to here.

Sep 29, 2021

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Juanma Fernández París

El Nuevo Día (Puerto Rico)

The talented cast ensures that each of them has the opportunity to have a genuine moment on screen. The problem is that director Theodore Melfi is more concerned with making the film's message clear.

Dec 6, 2023

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Sarah Vincent

Cambridge Day

While ambitious, entertaining and touching, the story becomes repetitive and heavy-handed, and its transitions from humor to gravity are at times awkward.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 16, 2023

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Jason Flatt

But Why Tho? A Geek Community

The Starling is perfectly fine. The cast is pretty good and the story is effective. It’s just a bit hard to appreciate in its totality when it makes something so hard to have for yourself seem so simple.

Rated: 6.5/10

Jan 16, 2023

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Pawel K

This film is a hidden gem—layered with poignant drama, moments of quiet introspection, and a depth that resonates with anyone who has faced loss. While it carries a steady emotional weight, its message unfolds with clarity, sometimes in the most unexpected ways. Tears are inevitable, woven into a story brought to life by a cast delivering performances on par with some of the finest in the genre. Melissa McCarthy balances her signature charm with raw vulnerability and just the right touch of eccentricity, while Chris O’Dowd takes viewers on a deeply somber yet profoundly human journey through the complexities of grief. By the time the credits roll, there’s a sense of healing—but only for those willing to fully grasp the sacrifices this couple endures in the name of love.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

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Chris M

As good as I hoped. Better than I expected!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/25

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Jay W

One of the stupidest, dreariest films I've seen, despite the presence of Chris O'Dowd, Kevin Kline and Melissa McCarthy. A woeful dirge clearly written by someone who has never watched starlings in their life.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/01/25

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c m

I see the bad reviews. And sure, it's not the best movie I've ever seen but it is one of the sweetest. Sometimes I just want to feel a little sad and then a little happy. Melissa McCarthy is always so appealing. It's alright and I've seen a lot worse.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/24/25

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Jerry F

I went into the movie thinking it wasnt going to be much of anything and i was absolutly blown away, the birds cgi looks fairly bad when it interacts with anything but its easily overlooked once the movie gets going and the story starts to unwind and really shine

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/22/24

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Tawnya S

I was truly touched by this film. It was a sad story because you could feel everything that each character was experiencing but, it brings ease to you at moments.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/17/24

Full Review

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Theodore Melfi

Director

Melissa McCarthy

Lilly Maynard

Chris O'Dowd

Jack Maynard

Kevin Kline

Larry

Timothy Olyphant

Travis Delp

Skyler Gisondo

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The Starling: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

After Lilly (Melissa McCarthy) suffers a loss, a battle with a territorial bird (The Starling) over dominion of her garden provides an unlikely avenue for her grief and the courage to heal her relationships and rediscover her capacity for love.

Director: Theodore Melfi
Producer: Theodore Melfi, Kimberly Quinn, Dylan Sellers, Chris Parker
Screenwriter: Matt Harris
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Limelight, Entertainment One, Culmination Productions, Goldenlight Films, Boies / Schiller Film Group
Rating: PG-13 (Some Strong Language|Thematic Material|Suggestive Material)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 17, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 24, 2021
Runtime: 1h 44m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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