Yellow Bird (2023) User Reviews

watchable but very low budget

[miless-49621 · 4/10 · 13 May 2023]

This appears to have been filmed in an actual grocery store, and all of the cast are unknowns that were surely paid very little. It's not a high shelf film, but it's not really that bad either. It feels like this director could do a lot better with more resources, since what is here is pretty well written, and as another review says: it grows on you.

The only "known" cast member is a lawn gnome that talks to the protagonist, played by the voice of Brian Doyle-Murray. He does fine. Aside from this, we have a lot of ironic social awkwardness that tends to get funnier as you get used to the budget restraints of the project.

The film is a little slow and wooden, almost feeling like a stage production that used a supermarket instead of a theatre. Still, there is a certain integrity to the project that makes it feel like there's a diamond in the rough here. I can't exactly give it a high rating, but i don't really mind it so much. I would look forward to more from some of this team, but im not sure exactly who worked on which parts of the project.

Many scenes and sets seem well inspired and intended, but we can tell that they are trying to save money pretty often. For instance, i'm pretty sure the same bran muffin was used throughout the film in 4-5 scenes, possibly more.

Still, if you have the patience for a little corner cutting, this one is surprisingly worth the watch compared to how it might seem at first glance.

Given the current writer's strike: i'd say that if this was made by horribly underpaid gig workers, i won't support it. If it's made by some earnest people that just wanted to put out a film without a lot of resources, i fully support them for it.

Started cute and funny end corney

[sevenj7 · 3/10 · 17 May 2023]

This movie starts off pretty funny much like a Kenny Powers film which is exciting but may be the worst thing to happen. Why?? Because the lead, his wife and daughter are really the funny most interesting characters and their screen time is cut drastically to make room for sub story lines & characters less interesting.

The other store employees are fun and well appointed some of there script is funny. Id say the bad apple to spoil the bunch is a completely uninteresting character named "Krystal" who adds nothing of value to the story. The biggest issue is "Plastic Martyr" who plays Krystal fails to have any real acting skills and ends up killing because they place Krystal in just about every sene after introducing the character. Krystal is destracting uses exagerated body language & attention seeking facial expressions. Its obvious Plastic is just not an actor. Lets just say thats when the film goes from funny to corney fast. Overall, I gave it a 3 because all the other actors where good and the writing is "ok" with potential. In a the world of streaming where excellent acting and writing is at a 10/10 its difficult to cut corners and check boxes and end up with a good end result. This is not terrible but fell to a 3 star quickly

Id say this is a good film to put on while working for noise on something else.

A sitcom dressed up as a (bad) movie

[steveniemi-89906 · 1/10 · 7 May 2023]

Casting mostly unknown and B- actors the movie trudges slowly along. The acting, lighting, and camera work are cringe-worthy. Even some of the outdoor shots (like when his car is leaving the parking lot early on) are jerky and full of stutters. When Jake's mom is sitting on the bed in the Winnebago the lighting is so harsh and overdone it's absurd.

Jake's "acting" is accentuated by his flailing and unbelievable hand gestures which continue from start to end. He is clearly out of his element as an actor.

Why all the 10/10 ratings and reviews? They are clearly fake. This movie is nothing more than an attempt to a low budget, movie-version of the sitcom Super Store, but far, far worse. Swing and a BIG miss.

Possibly the Worst Movie Made this Year

[bwilbur-73848 · 1/10 · 3 June 2023]

One Star is too high of a rating for this steaming pile of garbage.

The movie seems to have been written by some first year film students. I have never cringed at a movie so much. The acting was horrific but the real failure is the sitcom level writing that was overstretched into a full length movie on a clearly nonexistent budget.

Nearly every scene hurt my brain to watch and made me want to throw my remote through the TV to get rid of it. Whoever is writing these high rated reviews is absolutely delusional. Just because it's indie does not mean you indie film loons should just automatically love it.

One almost very amusing line.

[zdsdead-225-754209 · 2/10 · 17 May 2023]

The reviews written by middle schoolers are nearly unanimously in favor of this low budget film. If any of the writers were adults, they clearly didn't master spelling or grammar skills before dropping out of the schools they attended for whatever short term they managed.

That being out of the way, the only few lines that this movie has that were deserving of attention and mild favorable criticism were spoken by the least redeeming of the characters: the obese daughter of the gold digger wife. When she states that she was watching Honey Boo Boo and something happened, this nod at the lowest level of recently passed pop culture was enough to convince me to watch another few scenes in hopes of another possible moment of mild amusement.

Later when this piglet of a horribly broken "wife" appears at the stores parking lot to add further indignity to the sorry sap that's that's the protagonist by opening her yap to cry to her sow of a maternal figure and beg for further punishment to the man who has been made to suffer as their whipping boy.

The punk who is managing the store has even less redeeming value, but sadly is precisely what passes for a man that's been put in charge of a sorry group of people to abuse and somehow not be called out for his (did I correctly choose the pronoun?) sexist behavior, as well as the blatant ageism this putrid little pustule oozes, with zero consequences. Whereas in real life in this current world of seeking every opportunity to be libelous in such situations.

In short, this isn't worth sitting around long enough to see what eventually happens.

Terrible Movie

[patrickjanssen-63470 · 1/10 · 17 May 2023]

Horrible show about a sad man making terrible choices! Why is this what we are selling these days? Would not recommend spent entire movie waiting for the turn around or the moment he stepped up to the plate.... never came. Nothing inspiring, no morals, just a sad dude that gets walked over and treats his friends and family terrible.

In all honesty there is no substance to this show. It doesn't have any real message. It would be like reading a day to day of someone stuck at home thier whole life, but missing that inner dialog that could have put the smallest bit of interest in it. Have to agree the other reviews are clearly fake or posted by the creators of this show!

There's a lot of corny overacting that made the characters look like cartoon characters.

[trinaboice · 6/10 · 1 November 2023]

IN A NUTSHELL: The film was directed by Angus Benfield, who also helped produce it and stars in the movie. Writing credit goes to Tony Jerris.

In the style of The Office and Schitt's Creek comes a fun new comedy about searching for happiness, "Yellow Bird." This heartfelt film, set in a small country-town grocery store named "The Yellow Bird," is centered around once successful PR specialist Jake (Angus Benfield), now a stock boy in his mid-forties, struggling with his sobriety, and his conscience in the guise of a gnome (Brian Doyle-Murray) who is determined to remind Jake of all his failings, including his marriage. Jake's mother, Rachel Rush (Kathy Garver), is struggling with Alzheimer's and is living in an RV. Rachel is holding onto a past she remembers as much more adventurous and exciting than this life and is determined to find it once again, and Scotty, the protagonistic store manager who is stuck in a job his father wants him to be in, and so makes all the fun and quirky employees at "The Yellow Bird" miserable in return.

THINGS I LIKED: The main cast includes director Angus Benfield, Brian Doyle-Murray, Kathy Garver, Plastic Martyr, Michael Maclane, Britt Crisp, and more. The hair stylist's name is Melissa Disney. Woah. Would you want your last name to be Disney?

I like that none of the characters look like slick, Hollywood actors, but instead, real people.

Plastic Martyr has the funniest lines of everyone.

You may not recognize any of the actors in the movie, but you'll definitely recognize the voice of Brian Doyle-Murray who voices Gnome.

If you love awkward movies, you'll love the characters in this.

The song "Yellow Bird" at the end of the movie is very sweet. It was written and performed by Ruth Benfield and Scott Oatley in 2022.

Several characters talk about the definition of a yellow bird: it refers to the love of your life, the person you can't live without. I've never heard that expression before. Have you? What I especially liked was that the film took it in another direction. Yellow Bird doesn't just refer to a person but a profession or your passion in life too.

The movie was filmed in Redding, California.

I love that Jake actually takes pride in his job and is committed to sticking with the Alcoholics Anonymous program.

The characters really grow on you by the end of the movie.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Some of the dialogue isn't very good.

Some of the acting isn't good.

The movie looks and feels like a low-budget Indie film.

It's a slow burn of a flick.

Lot of corny overacting that made the characters look like cartoon characters.

There were a few rough editing moments.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Some profanity A woman tries to hit a man Talk of a one-night stand and a possible resulting pregnancy Finding your life's true passion.

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It grows on you

[lmbertolli · 9/10 · 27 February 2023]

This movie was a slow burn and I'm so happy I watched til the end. The closing song is beautiful and the characters are warm and the story is very sweet. The movie is about real people having everyday problems and the ending shows how a little kindness and humanity can bring us together. I loved Plastic Martyr as Krystal and all the actors did a great job.

The story is set in a medium sized city in a 10 location chain supermarket called Yellow Bird. The characters can be found at any job and the way they come together in the end brings a satisfying conclusion. The main character is messy and yet becomes our hero. I enjoyed it.

The charm takes over

[goldenrageoftv · 7/10 · 13 March 2023]

Kudos to the producers as they made the most of what was clearly a limited budget. The story turned out to be sweet and feel good. The acting was exceptional. Kathy Garver's role was the highlight! Her ability to be quirky, funny and stick to the simplistic yet complex character was masterful. Helps to have a true veteran on board. Cousin Vinnie was a hoot as was his lineless bodyguard. Made me never want to get a job at a food chain in a small town. Diversity of the cast was fun and imaginative as was the cinematography, directing and plot line. I would recommend this but only if you are okay with seeing a project that knew how to make the utter most with what it had!

Entertaining but silly

[lbqueen-91418 · 6/10 · 26 April 2023]

We watched this movie because of the incredibly high score and although we don't agree that it was a 9.1 it was not a bad movie.

The whole thing, such as script, acting, and characters all come off as a joke. It was hard to take it seriously but it didn't have any foul language, sex acts, drug use or gore so that was all a plus for us.

The over all theme was silly but good won in the end and that is always a good thing.

I do feel they could have given the supporting characters more of a role instead of just being silly and unrealistic. Even his AA meeting was over the top fiction.

I would recommend this to a friend who was searching for something light hearted to watch.

Excellent Comedy with Heart

[kbryant1414 · 9/10 · 28 February 2023]

Very funny indie movie about the importance of finding your family. If you like indie movies then you'll love this one. Though it does deal with mature subject matter, it is a very clean movie overall. It has a really excellent cast with funny characters. The interactions and relationship between the characters is fun and charming and reminds me of The Office or Parks & Rec. This story is a exceptionally well written, enlightening and realistic story. "Yellow Bird" is certain to hit home in everyone's life. Jake's journey in this movie, with surprises all along the way, and is heart warming, relatable and honest. Put it on your short list and enjoy.

Incredibly Written. Entertaining -Funny - Realistic -Warming

[donna-27187 · 10/10 · 28 February 2023]

The storyline is wonderful. A very realistic movie that keeps you engaged. The cast of actors are perfect "fits" in their character roles. The small town atmosphere of the filming set brings with it a certain comfort that keeps you feeling relaxed, as the "story" brings surprises throughout the entire movie. "Yellow Bird" will definitely make you have compassion for Jake, make you smile and for sure will help you to keep your faith in human kind. Everyone will be able to identify, with at least one of the characters. For sure a must see, I highly recommend taking the time to watch, you won't be disappointed.

Great Heartfelt. and yet Funny Movie

[wren-12149 · 10/10 · 28 February 2023]

This quirky dramedy exceeded my expectations for an indie movie with a great message. The cast played their misfit characters as real people, and being that it's set in the grocery store, they came across as just that, real employees you'd find in a store! I find myself rooting for the lead character, Jake Rush, who is like a 'Rocky' underdog trying to find his "yellow bird" in life, but I won't reveal any spoilers if he does or doesn't. I found myself wanting to know a bit more about the supporting roles and definitely can see this as becoming a series like "Schitt's Creek" meets "The Office."

Surprisingly Fun!

[ellisjoan-27907 · 10/10 · 2 March 2023]

I didn't know much about this movie going in, only that it took place in a grocery store and was shot in Redding, CA. I instantly fell in love with the quirky, colorful grocery story workers, and rooted for the down-on-his luck leading man, Jake Rush, who is dealing with a variety of challenges in life, namely his gold-digging wife, Ellie-- Wonderfully played, by the way.

I loved the talking Gnome, and it was great seeing Cissy from the classic TV show "Family Affair" playing Jake's mother, who lives in a rundown RV and wants to go to Hollywood to become a movie star!

Without giving away any spoilers, there is a happy ending, but a lot of twists and turns getting there for everyone involved.

Creative, Fresh & LGBTQ+ Friendly

[gjoey-16962 · 10/10 · 9 March 2023]

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community I found this movie a must see with what is going on in the world today with the struggles of trans and gender-diverse persons. Plastic Martyr, a trans actress who plays "Krystal," with her wisecracks and cute little one liners fits in perfectly with a staff of average people with no stereotypes. The movie is a slice of life that is needed more than ever in the world today. I also loved the role of Scotty, the young, snarky store manager, who you love to hate-- The same holds true for Ellie, the wife of the lead in the film, who chews up the scenery. Take the time to watch and support the trans community and indie film world in general.

Great feel good movie!

[vankoeveringm · 10/10 · 28 February 2023]

What a Great movie! Many lessons to learn. It was great to see that it was filmed in a grocery store and how all of the employees came together. When life knocks you down stay true to what you believe and everything will work out. I loved all of the different topics that were addressed, from the gold digger wife to the owners sons dreams.

I liked how the main character found his yellow bird and stayed true to what he believed. Things in life can get complicated and messy but stay the course on your beliefs. Loved the part with the meat man and how they always had to move the papers in the chair. Kathy Garvey was great as well as Angus!

I really enjoyed how it ended. Everyone should watch.

Great Quirky Indie Movie

[lbrandell-46834 · 10/10 · 3 March 2023]

What a great feel-good movie about real people with real problems and emotions that leaves you wanting more. Has a Napoleon Dynamite feel to it with great performances by the characters, especially the ones in the supermarket. They get to have their defining moment in the end, but don't want to give away any spoilers.

It was interesting how the writer ties together a reality show, commercial and storyline all in one. How refreshing to have a simple story with a lot of heart. The original music in this film is very good too. There are 2 "Yellow Bird" songs, and another one called "Where Do I Go From Here?" that tied in nicely to that specific scene. The movie made me think, feel, laugh and cry. Bravo to everyone involved!

Pleasantly Surprised

[lawells-07009 · 10/10 · 7 March 2023]

This is not a movie I would normally watch, but after reading the reviews, I thought I would check it out and I was Pleasantly Surprised how well I liked it. I thought it would be another cheaply made indie movie. But it wasn't at all, had a great message with heart to the story. Love the performance by Jake, the main character, his wife Ellie, who is an over the top gold digger but very funny. I also loved Ellie's relationship with her daughter Kacey, an ex-beauty queen gone bad! Just a great cast of characters who you felt you knew, and the trans actress who played Krystal is bound to have a bright future. I'm hoping there's is a sequel to revisit these characters. Such a great afternoon matinee. A Must See!

This is Worth the Watch

[jcollinsxy · 10/10 · 3 March 2023]

This is a unique and wonderful film. Being recently sober I so identified with the lead character of Jake Rush and how he dealt with his day to day struggles of sobriety with everything he was going through in his personal life.

The characters in the movie came across as real and entertaining, and the story was well written and gave heart and meaning to the soul. Such a heart-warming story and a wonderful ending that makes you feel good.

Bravo to the entire cast and crew for making Yellow Bird an enjoyable flight to be onboard with. If you haven't seen this little gem, I highly recommend that you do yourself a favor and watch it.

Heart Warming

[bqpmxz · 8/10 · 9 December 2023]

This is an original feel good film. It tells its story and makes you feel good. I appreciate the way the film touches on current, real people issues in way that is not overbearing. There two things that make this stand out in my opinion, the writing and Plastic Martyr. In the age of Marvel and CGI an original story is refreshing. The way the story is presented is completely relatable for any viewer that has ever held a job. It also brings the viewer through a range of emotions and does it well. You cannot ask for much more from a screenplay. Plastic Martyr easily stole the show for me from an acting point.

In summary, this is definitely a hidden gem worth the watch.

A heartfelt, low-budget character study masquerading as a dramedy

[joldlooshi · 8/10 · 24 May 2023]

Perhaps those who have not lived a life that has brought them to a "how did I get here?" moment will not connect with this film, which in part may explain the handful of "1" ratings. We can forgive these stalwart naysayers for their lack of perspective, if not for their silly assertions that the many high ratings of this rather endearing small film are somehow fake.

The ultimate takeaway about Jake, the main character, is that in staying true to the core of who he is -- a kind and humble man whose apparent lack of a spine has gotten him into the fixes he finds himself -- in the end, it is that very kindness and humility which becomes his superpower of sorts. As he comes to realize there is strength in his kindness, he in helps the store owner's son find his own courage to face up to his father's narrow demands, which brings these two characters to a better place.

The acting, while not on a high level of cinematic quality, is earnest and amusing in and of itself, especially in the final payoff at the end of the film.

The film also provides a nice break from the usual overblown and formulaic fare to which we have all become accustomed.

Disappointing

[mikekansasmike · 21 May 2023]

Yellow Bird is a 2023 American drama film directed by Angus Benfield and starring Brian Doyle-Murray, Kathy Garver, Plastic Martyr, and Angus Benfield. The film follows Jake, a once-successful P. R. specialist who is now struggling to manage a local grocery store known as "The Yellow Bird" while also dealing with his failing marriage and his own sobriety.

The film is a well-intentioned drama, but it is ultimately a disappointment. The plot is slow-moving and predictable, and the characters are not particularly well-developed. The film also suffers from some technical issues, such as poor sound mixing and inconsistent cinematography.

The film's biggest problem is its lack of focus. The film tries to do too much, and as a result, it does nothing particularly well. The film wants to be a drama about addiction, a comedy about small-town life, and a romance, but it never fully commits to any of these genres. As a result, the film feels disjointed and unsatisfying.

The film's only saving grace is its cast. Brian Doyle-Murray gives a solid performance as Jake, and he is supported by a strong cast of actors except for Plastic Martyr. However, even their performances cannot save the film from its many flaws.

Overall, Yellow Bird is a disappointing film that is ultimately not worth your time. If you are looking for a good drama, there are many better options available.