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Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd, Kevin Kline, Timothy Olyphant, Daveed Diggs, Skyler Gisondo, Laura Harrier, Rosalind Chao, Kimberly Quinn, Loretta Devine
OUR RATING: ★★★☆☆
Story:
Netflix comedy-drama directed by Theodore Melfi. The Starling (2021) centers on married couple, Lilly and Jack (Melissa McCarthy and Chris O’Dowd), who after suffering a loss, leads Jack to head off to deal with his grief on his own, while Lilly remains dealing with her own guilt. After Lilly finds a combative Starling has nested in her backyard that begins to harass her, on her journey to expel the Starling, Lilly finds guidance from Larry (Kevin Kline), a quirky psychologist-turned-veterinarian with a troubled past of his own. The two form a unique and unlikely friendship as they each help the other to explore, acknowledge and confront their problems.
Our Favorite Quotes:
'Some things are just out of our control. And the sooner you figure out what they are, the faster you can let them go.' - Lilly Maynard (The Starling) Click To Tweet
Best Quotes
Lilly Maynard: I’ve always found Bob Ross very sexy. You know, that hair, the mom jeans. I’m all in.
Jack Maynard: I was watching Katie sleep earlier on. I did that thing where I fast forward into the future, and I can see who she’s become, and whatnot. And I did it, and it was incredible. She’s a podiatrist.
Lilly Maynard: Our child’s a podiatrist?
Jack Maynard: In Cleveland. Doing really well. Third biggest in her firm. She drives a Lexus. Like, four years-old, but it’s pretty good.
Lilly Maynard: I always thought she’d be like a butcher.
Jack Maynard: A butcher?
Lilly Maynard: A butcher. A vegan butcher. You know, so she’d take carrots, and carve little rib eyes, or her pork chops that’d really be made from cauliflower.
Fawn: [referring to Larry] Can you believe this guy used to be a therapist? He can’t even talk to animals. And now he has to talk to animals and owners. It’s so frustrating.
Travis Delp: Sweet tiny Jesus. What the hell is that? Gum selfie? Everyone is distracted. Nobody works.
Regina: Changes are scary, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
Lilly Maynard: [to Jack] Scary? We’re not scared. Right?
Regina: Are you seeing anyone?
Lilly Maynard: I see people all the time. I see you, right now.
Regina: Okay, Lilly. You have to do the work too.
Regina: You know, there’s a guy I used to work with that lives down your way. A therapist. Maybe you could give him a call.
Lilly Maynard: [reads the name on the card] Larry Fine? Like The Three Stooges?
Regina: You know, it’d be nice to see someone, Lilly, before you have to see someone.
Lilly Maynard: Yeah, well, I’ll see you next week.
Dr. Manmohan: How are you sleeping?
Jack Maynard: Terrific. Thank you.
Dr. Manmohan: Are you eating okay?
Jack Maynard: Oh, yes. Yes. I mean, the food up here is exquisite. I don’t know if they give Michelin stars to mental health facilities, but if they did…
Fawn: What’s your pet’s name?
Lilly Maynard: Well, that’s just it. I don’t have a pet.
Fawn: No pet?
Lilly Maynard: No.
Fawn: Dr. Larry, Lilly has an appointment, but no pet.
Dr. Larry Fine: That’s a first.
Helen: [referring to her dog] I want his marbles knocked off.
Dr. Larry Fine: Helen, it’s called neutering. Nobody’s here to get their marbles knocked off, I presume.
Lilly Maynard: I’m as advertised.
Dr. Larry Fine: I’ve been out of the mental health field. I left it ten years ago.
Lilly Maynard: To become a vet? Isn’t that kind of weird?
Dr. Larry Fine: It’s an easy explanation really, but let’s leave it at weird.
Dr. Larry Fine: What about you?
Lilly Maynard: Me? Oh, I’m fine too.
Dr. Larry Fine: So Regina sent you to see me because you’re fine.
Lilly Maynard: Well, it wasn’t my idea.
Dr. Larry Fine: But you’re here.
Lilly Maynard: My daughter, our baby, died. Just over a year ago now. SIDS, that’s what they told us.
Dr. Larry Fine: Oh. That’s awful.
Lilly Maynard: My husband Jack didn’t handle it so good.
Dr. Larry Fine: And you did?
Lilly Maynard: No. No, I’m… It’s a good question.
Dr. Larry Fine: I just don’t do this sort of thing anymore.
Lilly Maynard: Well, no offense, but you can kind of tell.
Ben: Oh, Velma. That’s, what is that?
Velma: It’s an emoji. The poop one.
Ben: Looks very accurate.
Velma: Well, when do I get to put it in the oven?
Ben: Soon, dear. Very soon.
Dr. Larry Fine: The bird obviously thought you were a threat.
Lilly Maynard: Well, I am now.
'There will be good days, and there will be bad days. Living is predictable in that way. Embrace routine. It's good for you.' - Dr. Manmohan (The Starling) Click To Tweet
Dr. Larry Fine: You might want to stay out of your yard for a while.
Lilly Maynard: It’s my f***ing yard.
Dr. Larry Fine: You always this angry?
Lilly Maynard: What am I supposed to do, call the cops?
Dr. Larry Fine: Are you familiar with stage three of the grieving process?
Lilly Maynard: I’m assuming that follows stage two?
Dr. Larry Fine: Not necessarily. But generally. It’s bargaining and anger. Nobody ever talked to you about this?
Lilly Maynard: Nope. What comes after that?
Dr. Larry Fine: Depression.
Lilly Maynard: Great. I can’t wait.
Dr. Larry Fine: You might not have to wait too long.
Dr. Larry Fine: What did the bird look like?
Lilly Maynard: I don’t know. Dark, wings.
Dr. Larry Fine: That narrows it down.
Dr. Larry Fine: In the meantime, stay away from that new neighbor of yours.
Lilly Maynard: Yeah, new neighbor. That’s a good one.
Lilly Maynard: Do you have anything that might scare birds away?
Alice: Bird deterrent?
Lilly Maynard: Yeah. Bird-go-away-ent.
Alice: That’s funny. I like a good joke. How do you feel about spikes?
Lilly Maynard: No, I don’t kind of need to kebab them.
Lilly Maynard: Never going to believe what I’m watching. It’s one of those religious shows, The Higher Power. Sounds like a utility company. Or a pot store. Do the kids still call it pot? Feels like they’d have a cooler way of saying that now, or an emoji. Well, I’m sure they have an emoji, right? They have it for everything.
Lilly Maynard: Guess you don’t talk with your patients that often.
Dr. Larry Fine: Oh, you mean because they’re animals? Oh, no. We talk all the time. Tends to be a one-sided conversation, but fine with me.
Lilly Maynard: Is this how it works?
Dr. Larry Fine: How what works?
Lilly Maynard: This.
Dr. Larry Fine: Oh, you think… No, no, no. If we were doing that, I’d just say, “Sorry our time is up. Take this pill.”
Dr. Larry Fine: You know, sometimes we push people away just to see if they’ll come back.
Lilly Maynard: You know, they used to be dinosaurs. Birds did.
Dr. Larry Fine: Yeah.
Lilly Maynard: You probably knew that because you’re a vet.
Dr. Larry Fine: I knew that even before I was a vet.
Trailer: