Partners, family members, and friends respond differently to the same situation, and the incongruity of reactions and differing ability to return to some sort of normalcy can permanently alter a relationship. The Starling<\/em><\/strong> charts separate attempts to find solace and hope in the face of devastating loss.<\/p>\n Lilly (Melissa McCarthy) and Jack (Chris O\u2019Dowd) are struggling following the death of their infant daughter. Jack is in a psychiatric facility receiving the help that he has been declared to need, while Lilly works a grocery store job and searches for fulfillment. When a counselor at the facility recommends that Lilly go see someone, she is surprised to learn that the acclaimed therapist, Larry (Kevin Kline), now works as a veterinarian. Initially uninterested in hearing what he has to say, Lilly finds herself drawn to him for support when she is repeatedly attacked by a bird that seemingly has it out for her.<\/p>\n Having McCarthy and O\u2019Dowd play these lead roles should indicate to audiences some idea of what they\u2019re in for tonally. Both are skilled comedic actors who have ventured successfully into drama recently in their careers, typically bringing with them a wit that makes even serious material slightly entertaining and enjoyable. That\u2019s absolutely the case here, assisted by Kline as someone easily baited into returning to a time in his life he has vowed to leave behind but clearly still longs for to some degree.<\/p>\n The bird that makes Lilly\u2019s life a living hell is a humorous device that\u2019s certainly literal but is evidently also meant as a metaphor. Lilly cannot go on the way she is because the bird won\u2019t leave her alone, and that forces her to confront what she hasn\u2019t been willing to engage with since losing her daughter and being separated physically from her husband. Naturally, she is resistant, angry at the bird and not eager to dig further into what may be causing her unhappiness aside from something tangible and identifiable.<\/p>\n Director Theodore Melfi\u2019s two most recent films, Hidden Figures<\/em> <\/strong>and St. Vincent<\/em><\/strong>, serve as a solid framework for the genre hybridity that defines this story, which approaches loss through a distinctly lighthearted lens since life often does offer funny moments even in the middle of overwhelming misery. Screenwriter Matt Harris pens an involving script with humorous banter and affecting moments that are fluidly interwoven.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/starling2-1024x428.jpg\")
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