The Starling

Year: 2021

Runtime: 102 min

Language: English

Director: Theodore Melfi

DramaFantasyComedy

A grieving woman, Lilly, finds an unexpected connection while fiercely protecting her garden from a persistent starling. Her determination to ward off the bird becomes a catalyst for confronting personal loss and repairing relationships. Through this unlikely conflict, she discovers a path toward healing and rediscovering her ability to love and find joy again.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen The Starling yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – The Starling (2021)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Starling (2021). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Last Updated: December 03, 2024 at 14:30

Main Characters – The Starling (2021)

Meet the key characters of The Starling (2021), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Last Updated: December 03, 2024 at 14:30

Major Themes – The Starling (2021)

Explore the central themes of The Starling (2021), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

Last Updated: December 03, 2024 at 14:30

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about quiet healing journeys like The Starling

Stories where ordinary characters find profound renewal in everyday struggles.If you liked The Starling, you may enjoy these movies about quiet healing journeys. These similar drama films focus on characters rediscovering joy and mending their lives through small, symbolic battles, offering a gentle and hopeful viewing experience.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a protagonist grappling with a silent, internal grief or trauma. An external, often small-scale conflict—like tending a garden, befriending an animal, or mastering a craft—serves as a metaphor and catalyst for their internal work. The journey is linear and character-driven, moving steadily from isolation toward reconnection.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped together because they share a specific approach to heavy themes: they use gentle pacing, a hopeful tone, and symbolic, low-stakes conflicts to explore deep emotional healing, making profound grief feel manageable and relatable.

Dramedies with animal symbolism like The Starling

Heartfelt stories where animals play a key role in human emotional repair.Find movies similar to The Starling in this collection of dramedies with animal symbolism. If you enjoyed the blend of emotion and light humor centered around an animal's role in healing, these films about grief, connection, and renewal will resonate.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically center on a human protagonist at a low point, whose life is interrupted or enriched by an animal. The animal's behavior or needs force the character out of their isolation, often providing comic relief while simultaneously driving a sincere emotional arc focused on mending relationships or personal wounds.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a unique blend of sincere emotional weight (often around grief or mental health) with moments of levity, all tied together by the narrative device of an animal that symbolizes or directly facilitates the protagonist's journey back to wholeness.

Unlock the Full Story of The Starling

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Starling in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Starling is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Starling Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Starling, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Starling Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Starling with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Starling Ending Explained

What really happened at the end of The Starling? This detailed ending explained page breaks down final scenes, hidden clues, and alternate interpretations with expert analysis and viewer theories.

The Starling Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of The Starling that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

More About The Starling

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Starling: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

Similar Movies to The Starling

Discover movies like The Starling that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.