Review of Little Wing - Underwhelming YA Drama Wastes Talent of Brian Cox

The film Little Wing, a coming-of-age story, starts with two quotes from Susan Orlean’s 2006 New Yorker piece, “Little Wing.” The first quote explains that Americans move every five years on average, while pigeons rarely move. The second quote states that racing pigeons have a strong and undeniable attachment to their home.

The opening screen effectively shares some details about the movie, which will debut on the streaming platform Paramount+ this week. It reveals that Little Wing, directed by Dean Israelite and written by John Gatins, will struggle to blend human issues with the distinct experiences of pigeons, who are undeniably intriguing and the highlight of this film. It also hints at the film’s goal to explore profound ideas about our need for connection and a sense of belonging through these comparisons.

Instead, let’s shift our attention to the pigeons. In the book Little Wing, it has been mentioned multiple times that these birds possess the skill to find their way back to their designated roost regardless of the distance or time passed since they left. There have even been documented cases of racing pigeons returning to their home after 10 whole years. Although the exact method is not completely understood, racing pigeons are undeniably fascinating creatures.

Unfortunately, this sentiment does not apply to Kaitlyn (portrayed by Brooklynn Prince, the young star of “The Florida Project”), an eighth-grader from Portland, Oregon. Kaitlyn is struggling with typical teenage angst and has a tendency to rely on voiceovers. Her parents recently got divorced, leaving her mother (played by Kelly Reilly from “Yellowstone”), a police detective, struggling to make ends meet and considering selling their family home. Kaitlyn’s older brother Matt (Simon Khan) has stopped talking, adding to her stress. She is uninterested in school and only has one friend, Adam (played by Che Tafari), who may have complicated their relationship by developing feelings for her. Kaitlyn loves Bikini Kill, which could be interpreted as a middle-aged man’s attempt to label her as “alternative” for her generation.

This situation is challenging for a 13-year-old girl, and it is understandable that Kaitlyn is frustrated. However, the portrayal of Kaitlyn in Gatins’s script and Prince’s performance makes her seem less troubled and sympathetic as a coming-of-age hero, and more like a self-righteous, self-absorbed teenage nightmare. While teenage protagonists do not necessarily have to be likeable, if they are the main focus for 100 minutes, it is important for viewers to root for their risky plans. However, Kat’s ideas do not feel natural or worthy of support. When she is given two racing pigeons by a family friend, she decides to steal a prized racing pigeon worth $120k from renowned pigeon breeder Jaan (played by Brian Cox, who is miscast in this storyline that fits the clichés of a typical streaming service). She then sells the pigeon to the “Russian Pigeon Mafia”. As a result, she ends up in trouble with an angry Jaan and causes harm to her friend Adam, who always supports her despite having a broken arm.

The film, portrayed as a “coming of age drama”, has elements of a suspenseful thriller, especially in the first half, with a tense soundtrack. However, the tone is confusing, as Prince’s performance as a disenchanted teenager, mixed with clumsy editing and Cox’s portrayal of a watered-down version of Logan Roy, takes away from the supposed central relationship between Jaan and Kat as they transition from enemies to co-conspirators and pigeon enthusiasts. Instead of using explicit language, they use toned-down phrases like “go away!” and “you surly little cretin!” The film also includes cheerful scenes of pigeons and pigeon facts, but these are abruptly juxtaposed with heavy conversations about Kat’s suicidal thoughts and Jaan’s experiences as a soldier in Vietnam. While the two do eventually become friends, the journey is oddly paced and portrayed, resulting in a lack of a satisfying conclusion.

Little Wing is overall an odd, unaffecting mess, other than, again, the pigeons, who look majestic on camera. Besides an overly serious Cox, there’s little to distinguish it from the many throwaway titles unceremoniously released on streaming services, although unceremonious may be fair in this case. Learning about the jewel that is the racing pigeon with an incontrovertible sense of home is a treat, but there’s not much else to find here.