How often do you encounter a family film that you not only don’t mind sitting through, but – by the end – you’re fervently hoping that the story is true and the characters real? It doesn’t happen very often, that’s for sure, especially when the movie plays out very much as if it might be a true story. Well, with Fly Away Home, it’s not true – at least most of it isn’t true. But that’s no great failing, as this is still a highly entertaining and heart-warming film, one that earns repeated viewings through its honest portrayal of difficult family issues and fascinating human/ animal interaction. It might not be a true story, but it sure rings true emotionally.
The film’s offbeat settings hint from the start that it’s going to be just a little bit out of the ordinary. The first scene takes place in New Zealand, where 13-year-old Amy Alden (Anna Paquin) and her mother experience a terrible trauma – one that brings Amy’s father, Thomas (Jeff Daniels), all the way from Canada to care for her. And Canada is where Amy soon finds herself transplanted and trying to reacquaint herself after years of estrangement. Alienated and depressed, Amy is apathetic about everything, including her father’s eccentric behaviour. He’s an inventor, currently particularly fascinated with one-person flying machines.
Amy begins to pull our of her depression after she finds a bunch of goose eggs, left behind when a would-be developer runs roughshod over rural property neighbouring her dad’s land. When the eggs hatch, Amy has orphans to care for, and she gradually reconnects with the people around her as she faces the challenges of parenthood, goose-style.
This fascinating story culminates when Amy’s geese approach the time of year when migration south is called for. Amy’s love of her rapidly-maturing goslings, combined with Thomas’ love of ultra-light flying, combine to create a remarkable solution – one that leads to thrilling scenes in the air, and an emotionally satisfying conclusion.
Inspired by the true-life efforts of a Canadian inventor to teach geese how to fly south, the story here is fascinating. But it’s the acting of Paquin and Daniels that really push Fly Away Home into the stratosphere. The under-rated Daniels is likeable and emotionally honest, more so than I’ve seen in any of his other performances. And Paquin succeeds admirably at conveying the highs and lows of a young teenager facing an unusually challenging start to adolescence. She makes us care for Amy, want her to get through the touch times and celebrate her ultimate triumph – without ever sinking into emotional manipulation.
Director Carroll Ballard (The Black Stallion, Never Cry Wolf) has a strong track record of making films that connect people with the natural world, and his mature handling of the emotional issues here is exceeded only by his ability to deliver fabulous visuals. He successfully walks the line between melodrama and shallowness, never slipping into either trap, while creating a story with unique appeal. The result is one of the most satisfying family films you will ever see – smart, inspiring, honest and beautiful.
