WHAT’S IN THE THEATERS
AROUND EASTERN OREGON
NOW PLAYING
15
OCTOBER 6�13, 2021
‘The Starling’: McCarthy, O’Dowd
find truth in small drama
By Adam Graham
The Detroit News
Y
es, there’s a starling in “The
Starling.” The lil devil de-
cides to nest at the home of Lilly
Maynard (Melissa McCarthy),
who already has plenty on her
mind without having to worry
about an insanely territorial bird.
But the starling helps teach her
valuable life lessons, even if she
has to learn them from under-
neath a football helmet, which
she dons to help protect herself
from its swooping attacks.
Viewers, too, may need a
football helmet to help shield
themselves from the “The
Starling’s” heavy-handed mes-
saging, which is dropped from
the sky by writer Matt Harris
and director Theodore Melfi
(“St. Vincent” with McCarthy,
“Hidden Figures” without her).
But McCarthy and co-star Chris
O’Dowd fi nd honesty in their
performances, and “The Star-
ling” handles grief in a mature
way that is relatable for adult
viewers in the mood for a small
fi lm about human issues. For
that, “The Starling” delivers.
McCarthy and O’Dowd star as
a couple who lose their newborn
baby to SIDS. The overwhelming
grief and his guilt — could he
have saved her if he hadn’t slept
in that morning? — sends Jack
(O’Dowd) to a mental health
facility. Lily, meanwhile, is forced
to stay at home and grieve on
her own while taking care of the
house, which is where the star-
ling comes into play.
The lil bugger makes his pres-
ence known while Lily is garden-
ing and makes her life hell. She’s
sent to Dr. Larry Fine (Kevin
Kline), a former psychologist
who’s now a veterinarian, which
is oddly both of the things she
needs. Larry, reluctantly at fi rst,
helps her cope with her issues
and fi nd a path toward the light.
“The Starling” isn’t exactly
subtle — its quirks are exacer-
bated by a pushy soundtrack
— but there is warmth and truth
in its performances, particu-
larly by McCarthy and O’Dowd.
They’re two people trying to
push forward despite incred-
ible emotional setbacks. It’s
something we can all relate to,
particularly right now, football
helmets or not.
‘THE STARLING’
MPAA rating: PG-13 (for
thematic material, some
strong language and
suggestive material)
Running time: 1:42
Where to watch:
Streaming on Netfl ix
Netfl ix
Melissa McCarthy stars as Lilly
in “The Starling.”
Visit Heritage Station Museum
for a trip back in time
See how wheat helped shape Umatilla County
Step inside a Union Pacific caboose, the Byrd School
and spend time on the Pioneer Homestead
Open Tues-Sat
10am-4pm
IN PENDLETON
www.HeritageStationMuseum.org