Melissa McCarthy
Lilly Maynard
Overview
A woman adjusting to life after a loss contends with a feisty bird that's taken over her garden — and a husband who's struggling to find a way forward.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Bird That Knew Too Much
I didn’t expect to spend a hundred minutes of my life thinking about a starling. Not the kind that shows up in a poem—all metaphor and melancholy—but the real, squawking, territorial kind, the one that dive-bombs your head if you get too close to its nest. The Starling, Theodore Melfi’s 2021 dramedy, is built around this very bird, and by the end, I found myself wondering if it was the most honest character in the film.
Not because it’s particularly well-trained (though it is), but because it’s the only one that doesn’t seem to be performing grief. It just is.
The setup is simple: Lilly (Melissa McCarthy) and Jack (Chris O’Dowd) are a couple unraveling after the death of their infant daughter. They’re living in the kind of numb, half-functioning limbo that follows loss—where the world keeps moving, but you’re stuck in the before. Lilly tends to her garden, Jack checks into a psychiatric facility, and in the middle of it all, a starling decides that Lilly’s vegetable patch is its personal kingdom.
What follows is a film that toggles between the absurd and the achingly real, often in the same scene.
Melfi has always had a knack for balancing humor and heartbreak—his 2014 film St. Vincent did it with a cranky old man and a kid who needed a father figure—but The Starling feels like his most personal work yet. There’s a rawness here that isn’t just about grief, but about the way we perform it for each other.
Lilly and Jack aren’t just mourning their daughter; they’re mourning the versions of themselves that existed before her death, the people who could laugh without guilt or cry without explanation. The starling, in its stubborn, unapologetic presence, becomes a mirror. It doesn’t care about their pain.
Audience Opinions
Audience 7.5/10
"A heartfelt but uneven drama about grief, elevated by strong performances and emotional moments."
Viewers appreciate the film’s sincere exploration of loss and healing, with Melissa McCarthy and Chris O’Dowd delivering deeply felt performances. However, the story’s straightforward approach and lack of surprises leave some feeling it doesn’t fully capitalize on its emotional potential. latestnetflix.com's read is that the bird metaphor, while central, divides opinions—some find it poignant, others distracting or underdeveloped.
What viewers praise
- Powerful lead performances Melissa McCarthy and Chris O’Dowd bring raw emotion and authenticity to their roles, making the characters’ grief feel real and relatable.
- Emotional depth The film’s exploration of grief and recovery resonates with many, offering moments that feel genuinely moving and introspective.
- Kevin Kline’s supporting role Kline’s portrayal of a quirky, wise therapist adds warmth and humor, providing a standout performance in a supporting capacity.
- Unique premise The use of a starling as a metaphor for grief is seen as creative and thought-provoking by some, adding a distinctive layer to the story.
Common complaints
- Predictable storytelling The plot follows a familiar, straightforward path, lacking the surprises or depth that could have made it more memorable.
- Underdeveloped metaphor The starling’s symbolic role feels forced or unclear to some, detracting from the film’s emotional impact rather than enhancing it.
- Uneven tone Shifts between drama and lighter moments can feel jarring, making it difficult for some to fully engage with the story’s emotional core.
- Thin supporting characters Side characters, aside from Kevin Kline’s role, lack depth and development, leaving the story feeling somewhat one-dimensional.
Recommended for
Fans of emotional dramas Melissa McCarthy enthusiasts Those who enjoy grief-themed stories Viewers seeking character-driven films Kevin Kline fans
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsMelissa McCarthy and Theodore Melfi Reunite for The Starling—A Dramedy That Tested Their Creative Bond
The Starling (2021) marked the third collaboration between Melissa McCarthy and director Theodore Melfi, a pairing that had previously delivered crowd-pleasers like St. Vincent (2014) and Hidden Figures (2016). This time, however, the duo ventured into darker, more introspective territory—a dramedy that blended grief, marriage, and a stubborn bird into a story about healing. latestnetflix.com's read is that Behind the scenes, the film’s tonal balancing act became a talking point, with McCarthy and Melfi openly discussing the challenges of shifting between comedy and drama.
A Reunion with Familiar Faces
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZplSP1wFhw
McCarthy and Melfi’s history made The Starling an easy sell for Netflix, which distributed the film. The project also reunited McCarthy with her Bridesmaids co-star Chris O’Dowd, who played her on-screen husband, Jack. Their chemistry was a focal point in promotional interviews, with both actors admitting that comedy—despite its reputation—was harder to nail than drama. In one clip, O’Dowd joked that "comedy is like walking a tightrope without a net," while McCarthy added that the film’s emotional weight required precision to avoid tipping into melodrama .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkl_8e1LFW0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGyyIaiO9yE
Melfi, too, leaned into the film’s tonal contrasts. In a director’s interview, he described The Starling as a "Trojan horse"—a movie that lured audiences in with humor before delivering a gut-punch of grief . The approach wasn’t without risks. Reviews later reflected the divide, with some critics praising its emotional depth 
and others calling it uneven .
The Bird That Stole the Show (and Maybe the Budget)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5UcbrHkyF4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K92ITqTBGc0
One of the film’s most talked-about elements was its titular starling—a real, untrained bird that became a metaphor for the couple’s fractured relationship. Melfi revealed that working with the bird was both a creative choice and a logistical nightmare. In an interview, he recounted how the starling, named "Kevin" on set, refused to perform on cue, forcing the crew to shoot around its unpredictable behavior . The bird’s stubbornness became a running gag among the cast, with McCarthy later quipping that Kevin was "the real diva of the movie" .
The practical challenges extended to the film’s rural setting, which required extensive location shoots. While no official budget was disclosed, Melfi hinted at the difficulties of balancing a small-scale story with the demands of a Netflix production, including tight schedules and the pressure to deliver a polished final cut .
Mixed Reception and the McCarthy-Melfi Legacy
The Starling premiered on Netflix in September 2021, arriving with little fanfare compared to McCarthy’s blockbuster hits like Spy or Can You Ever Forgive Me? Critics were divided: some praised its heartfelt performances, particularly McCarthy’s shift into dramatic roles , while others found the film’s tone inconsistent . On SensCritique, it holds a modest 6.1/10 rating, with users noting its "uneven but sincere" approach to grief .
For McCarthy and Melfi, the film’s reception didn’t overshadow their creative partnership. In interviews, both expressed pride in the project, framing it as a necessary experiment in blending genres . Whether The Starling will be remembered as a misfire or a cult favorite remains to be seen, but its behind-the-scenes stories—from a stubborn bird to the cast’s candid discussions about comedy’s challenges—offer a glimpse into the messy, unpredictable process of filmmaking.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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