Bird People

Here's the first thing I have to say about Bird People: don't watch it if you're sleepy. It's not a bad film, and at times quite interesting, but it's also the kind of movie that takes great delight in showing the quotidian aspects of life, such a man waiting for his luggage at an airport carousel, or a hotel chambermaid cleaning up a room.

Directed and co-written by Pascale Ferran, in both English and French, it attempts to unite two disparate characters: Gary Newman, an American businessman  (Josh Charles), and Audrey (Anais Demoustier), a housekeeper at the airport Hilton in Paris, where Charles is staying.

After a prologue that sees both characters arrive at the hotel--Demoustier is on a commuter train, and Ferran lets in on the thoughts of the passengers, while Charles flies in and takes a cab--the film then settles on Charles. He attends a meeting--he's in computers, most likely--then, back at his room, he has an epiphany. He decides to quit his job and his marriage, and stay in Europe. This arouses all sorts of feelings back in the States. His boss has a conniption, and he breaks up with his wife (Radha Mitchell) on Skype, the one scene in the film that crackles with energy. Though Charles is clearly making what appears to be an impulsive move, it's not impulsive to him, and frees him.

Then we switch to Demoustier, a mousy girl who doesn't seem to get out much, as her friend invites her to a party but doubts she will come. She is cleaning rooms when something happens that is such a an audacious surprise that I won't share it here, though it does clue one in on the title. This twist, as it were, allows Demoustier to get her taste of freedom.

The ending has the two meeting for the first time, and is rather sweet, but I'm thumbs sideways on this. It's a two-hour-plus movie and doesn't have to be. One thing about Hollywood--it dispenses with the scenes of people staring out windows, or the high number of cigarette lightings. Bird People, which attempts to be profound but isn't always, veers close to a self-parody.