Blog #68 Paulie Movie Review

Paulie

1998 American adventure comedy-drama (I’d call it Scifi/Fantasy

Directed by John Roberts

Written by Laurie Craig

Starring

Hallie Eisenberg played Marie. Ms. Eisenberg also played Little Miss in The Bicentenial Man.

Gena Rowlands played Ivy. Ms. Rowlands also played Violet Devereaux in Skeleton Key 2005.

Image 2 Hallie Eisenberg helping the robot

Tony Shalhoub played Misha. Mr. Shalhoub also played Fred Kwan in Galaxy Quest 1999, Red Wheatus in BrainDead 2016, Alexander Minon in Spy Kids 3 2003 & Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams 2002 & Spy Kids 2001, Jeebs in Men in Black II 2002 & Men in Black 1997, also Newsstand (uncreditied) in Men in Black 3 2012, andGerman in Gattica 1997.

Image 3 Gena Rowlands in Skeleton Key switching bodies

Cheech Marin played Ignacio. Mr. Marin also played Eddie in Race to Witch Mountain 2009, Felix Gumm in Spy Kids 3 2003 & Spy Kids 2 2002 & Spy Kids 2001, and Dock Supervisor in Ghostbusters II 1989.

Image 4 Tony Shaloub losing his head again in Men and Black II

Image 5 Cheech Marin in Escape to Witch Mountain

Bruce Davison played Dr. Reingold. Mr. Davison also played Senator Kelly in X-Men 2000 & X2: X-Men United 2003, Captain Robert April in Star Trek: Captain Pike 2016, Sherrif Walt Henderson in Big Foot 2012, Rothman in Earth’s Final Hours 2011, Roger in Passengers 2009, Goege Henderson in Harry and the Hendersons 1991-1993, Cliff Bender in Tommorrow’s Child 1982, and George Orr in The Lathe of Heaven 1980.

Jay Mohr voiced Paulie and a shady human character that wants to purchase Paulie. Mr. Mohr also played Tony Francis in The Adventures of Puto Nash 2002.

Image 6 Jay Mohr in the Adventures of Pluto Nash

Trini Alvarado played adult Marie.

Distributed by DreamWorks Pictures

Release date April 17, 1998

Image 7 Bruce Davison in Harry and the Hendersons

Running time 91 minutes

Country United States

Langage English

Budget $23 million

Box office $26.9 million

Image 8 Marie gets help with her stutter from Paulie

Synopsis

Paulie is in a scientific institution and ends up in a cage in the basement because he won’t talk anymore. He did talk to the lead scientist, but when it is revealed how awful the man is, Paulie goes mute and is put down there in the basement, where he meets Misha, the janitor.

Image 10 Adult Marie reuniting with Paulie

Here we learn Paulie’s story after Misha tells the parrot of his sorrow. Marie, a young girl, receives a parrot, Paulie, to help with her stutter. It helps, but Paulie can really speak, something he hides from anyone but Marie. Things go south for the two due to a collection of mishaps, and Paulie is sent away. The rest of the film deals with the characters, both good and pretty bad, that Paulie meets, ending with Ivy, an old woman who is going blind. Ivy encourages Paulie to take the last leg on his own, which Paulie is afraid to do.

Image 11 Ivy driving and Paulie concerned

Back to the present, Misha starts helping Paulie, and he completes his journey, which is very sweet.

Pros

This story is a portrait of people as they encounter the parrot. Some are OK, some don’t care, some want to exploit, and some are very kind. It is gentle when kindness is remembered, and frenetic when exploitation occurs. It was a beautifully shot film, and the actors did a great job. I felt their performances were quite well executed. Misha, Tony Shalhoub is marvelous. I say that because I have seen him in other pieces where he is a very different character. I enjoy that diversity.

Cons

Image 12 Dr. Reingold instructing the investigation of Paulie

The biggest is that it’s definitely a film aimed at younger audiences. Officially, it is PG, I think, because of how the bird is exploited. I like the fact that Paulie outsmarts them, but they are bad nonetheless. If this is something you don’t like, then beware.

Conclusion

I enjoyed this thoroughly and would heartily recommend it. You have to decide at what age a child can watch this without being scared or disillusioned.