“A Bird of the Air” is an unassuming yet satisfying tale about two polar opposite personalities coming together and helping one another confront what troubles the other the most.
Although the dramedy struggles to take flight at first, stick with it. Like the provocative parrot that sets the plot in motion, this film has something meaningful to say.
Lyman is a loner with a troubled past.
He works the night shift as a courtesy highway patrolman and takes classes at the local college during the day.
Fiona is the sassy, loquacious university librarian who has always eyed Lyman from afar.
When a green parrot unexpectedly finds its way into Lyman’s dingy silver bullet trailer, Lyman becomes obsessed with tracking down its former owner and figuring out where the bird’s oddly well-timed wisecracks and aphorisms originated.
When Fiona uses her sleuth-like research skills to aid Lyman in his search, the two ricochet off of one another and then gravitate together again ad infinitum. The audience is left to watch the tension between them unfold slowly, wondering if Lyman will ever open up and allow Fiona past the walls he has built.
Audiences who quickly tire of the couple’s predictable dynamic will only be wondering whether or not Lyman will ever notice that he has a smoking-hot librarian throwing herself at him.
Lyman’s Jackson Hurst, known for his role on Lifetime series “Drop Dead Diva,” easily transitions to the big screen. His piercing blue eyes say what Lyman refuses to explicitly communicate.
Although it seems excessive just how shut off Lyman is, we can’t help but be drawn back in by Hurst’s charm and rugged good looks. Vulnerable and troubled, guarded but compassionate, Hurst’s portrayal of Lyman is difficult to resist.
Rachel Nichols’ performance as Fiona is arguably the most refreshing element of the film. Her bold, devil-may-care attitude makes her the quick-witted bombshell that all women wish they could be.
Her awkward obsession with Lyman and the matching pajama set she dons while dealing with her meddling mother on the phone make Fiona the character all woman can all relate to.
Based on the novel “The Loop” written by SMU alumnus Joe Coomer, “A Bird of the Air” is director Margaret Whitton’s feature directorial debut. She defied current indie clichés, opting instead for quirky points of interest that are relatively fresh.
“A Bird of the Air” is worth watching, even it is if only to get some sage advice from a talking parrot and gawk at how good Hurst looks even in a hideous orange jumpsuit.
The movie does lack the rawness and dimension that could make it a truly captivating love story.
