A Birder's Guide to Everything - A Movie Review

This is an important day for birding.

A Birder’s Guide to Everything flew into theaters in 2013. A group of teen bird enthusiasts are searching for a rare bird. On the eve of his father’s remarriage, David and his friends escape on a road trip to make birding history.

A Birder’s Guide to Everything centers around friendship, understanding, and birds (lots and lots of birds). I learned more about birds than I expected to. The film is somewhat predictable, but it has a heartwarming story.

Kodi Smit-McPhee, Alex Wolff, Michael Chen, and Katie Chang play the quartet. The film had great actors, especially Smit-McPhee and Wolff whose careers were in their early stages. The characters are average teenagers who bicker, make fun of each other, and discuss relationships. I liked whenever they took votes on what they’d do.

As much as I found them annoying, there’s more to the characters than one thinks. It’s evident that the boys are not the popular ones, but that’s not the point. This film is more about their friendship and passions.

I had no idea what they were talking about in their bird discussions, but they made a friendship from their passions. The actors solidified their dynamic, creating a realistic friendship. Their conversations constantly change which is natural in any friendship. Our conversations change in a heartbeat, questioning how we got on the topic.

This was the perfect role for Ben Kingsley. He plays a very knowledgeable bird enthusiast who helps the boys out. Kingsley loved the role when he read the script and the film’s humor.

The film has predictable themes and tropes, like David’s rocky relationship with his dad (James Le Gros). Scenes where the film cuts from David’s story to his dad’s wedding prep were unnecessary, but I understand why they were included.

Rob Meyer made an important film about passions. That was his main goal to conduct to audiences. Since Meyer is a bird lover, he pays meticulous attention to facts. I like how he infused direction to the young cast and the boy’s genuine love for birding. There are a lot of bird names I don’t know. I had no idea that actual stores dedicated to birds existed!

A Birder’s Guide to Everything took four years to make. I recommend you look up behind-the-scenes facts because a lot went into the making of this film. Filmmakers barely had the budget, which is why they kept profiting from studios. Once filming began, scheduling actors made things difficult, especially Kingsley who could only be on set for five days.

Meyer co-wrote the script with Luke Matheny. The script changed several times due to location changes. Most of the film was shot in Chappaqua, New York in Westchester County. Scenes that took place in the forest were filmed at Teatown Lake Reservation. Filmmakers hired ‘bird whispers’ to help draw birds in for close-ups.

Getting involved with passions at a young age is a good idea. Hobbies are an important part of life, especially at a young age. Movies are my hobby. Like the characters in the movie, I’ve made friends where we’ve talked for hours about facts or personal favorites.

This film also requests viewers to be tolerant and open about others' passions. You don’t have to be a bird lover to enjoy the movie. It’s a film to enjoy and have a laugh. You never know what you could learn.

A Birder’s Guide to Everything not only entertains but educates viewers. Take a look at this film. You may learn a new fact about birds.