Film Review – The Starling

“The Starling” is a strange film, and that doesn’t appear to be screenwriter Matt Harris’s intent with the material. He’s out to capture hearts with the project, which investigates emotional wounds caused by tremendous personal loss, examining the power of therapy and self-help during the journey. And yes, it’s also about a territorial bird that drives a woman crazy, threatening her with attacks. Director Theodore Melfi has a distinct tonal challenge with “The Starling,” which explores some of the worst experiences a human being can endure, and it’s also something of a fall-down-go-boom Melissa McCarthy picture. These are polar opposite moods that Melfi fails to blend with care, aiming for a schmaltzy endeavor instead, which weakens the power of profound feelings Harris is trying to identify between comedic detours. Again, it’s all so odd, and it doesn’t come together, but Melfi has a cast willing to work hard to make their moments count, which almost keeps the effort upright. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com