THE STORY – An elderly woman and a middle-aged man form an unexpected bond during a cross-country journey from Chicago to NY, accompanying a lost racing pigeon back to its home.
THE CAST – Ellen Burstyn, Taika Waititi, Pamela Anderson, Murray Bartlett & David Wenham
THE TEAM – Kornél Mundruczó (Director) & Kata Wéber (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 110 Minutes
What do you get when you mesh Oscar winners Ellen Burstyn and Taika Waititi with an adorable, well-trained racing pigeon named Intruder? Kornél Mundruczó’s “Place to Be,” a sweet and sassy buddy road trip movie between the unlikeliest of friends. Chances are, you’ve seen this type of film countless times over, so you already know what’s in store here: two people who don’t get along but are forced to take part in a ridiculous task and, along the way, learn to enjoy each other’s company. It basically writes itself, and though Mundruczó’s version doesn’t throw any surprises at us, it still ends up being a crowd pleaser all thanks to the vivacious-as-ever Burstyn and her avian friend.
Brooke Graham (Burstyn) spends her days visiting her late husband’s grave and telling her children Molly (Pamela Anderson) and Ron (Murray Bartlett) that she doesn’t need a senior living facility. So when a white pigeon – whom she aptly names Intruder – repeatedly flies in through her windows, she sees this little guy as a chance to do something extraordinary with the final chapter of her life. He’s come a long way from his home in New York City, so with a cage in hand, she boards a train to get him back to his rightful owner.
During her journey, she meets Nelson (Waititi), a businessman with a nasty attitude and an aimless direction in life, and soon their paths continue to cross. The dynamic between these two characters, and many others in these types of films (“Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Up,” etc.) is entertaining, especially with Burstyn playing up her character’s charm and sass to big laughs. Waititi plays the harder character to root for, as he’s always spouting off about how he doesn’t understand his child and frequently becomes an obnoxious drunk, but he does grow on you as you see how he kindly treats Brooke.
As they both take on the task of returning this pigeon home, they soften to each other and open up about their lives. Brooke is finally living for herself after she’s spent nearly her whole life caring for her children and husband, who was a tough person to be around, as various conversations allude to. In many ways, her character is similar to June Squibb’s in “Thelma” as she wants to show those around her that she can still do many things on her own despite her age. The metaphor of her children trying to put her in a home like she’s a caged bird is certainly not lost on us whatsoever. But the moments when Burstyn gets to slow down her performance and reflect on her life are as equally effective to watch as her comedic moments, and only further show she is one of the very best to grace the silver screen. Nelson, on the other hand, doesn’t really know what to do with his life as his relationship with his child is rocky, his real estate gig isn’t his passion, and he’s recently divorced. Waititi often goes for more goofy displays in the film, which can be charming and fun to watch, until it gets to a point when you’d like to see him take things down to Burstyn’s level. Ultimately, though, this is a movie that prefers to showcase the fun that they’re having rather than get people down, so neither storyline goes beyond surface-level writing. Anderson and Bartlett’s characters barely have screen time, so not much is gained from them either.
But someone who equally holds their own in this film, and often steals the show, is Intruder the Pigeon (a contender for Best Supporting Actor on our personal Oscars ballot). He’s such a chill and well-trained bird, you can’t help but look in awe as he flies on top of Burstyn and Waititi’s heads right on cue. There’s also plenty of great comedy involving the bird, like when Brooke and Nelson are deciding what to eat for dinner and they choose to avoid chicken “out of respect.” Mundruczó and cinematographer Germain McMicking also capture plenty of flying shots to varying degrees. One scene, which features a whole flock in the air, is meant to be a monumental moment with grand visuals and a swelling score, but it just isn’t captured in an interesting manner and goes on for far too long. But shots inside a “home base” that the birds eventually enter provide much more variety and let us get a closeup look at these magnificent creatures (even if they may be considered rats with wings).
The film struggles with the last 20 minutes as it tries to cram a whole lot of drama and action into the very end. But by this point “Place to Be” is hoping that it’s already won you over with its unlikely story of friends with arms and wings, and for the most part, it does. At 93 years old, Burstyn continues to deliver on the big screen, and we’re so lucky to see her talent time and time again. Now let’s just hope we’ll see Intruder become a big star in future films as well.
