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Paulie

Paulie

The bird is the word

199891 minPGMidcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Director
John Roberts
Starring
Gena Rowlands, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Bruce Davison

Paulie, a talking parrot, recounts his travels looking for his original owner to a Russian janitor who helps him to the end of his journey.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Paulie?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Paulie to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Paulie?

Paulie earns 8 badges, led by Word-of-mouth hit and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Paulie worth watching?

Paulie's Midcredits score is the 69th percentile of all films, from 35K ratings across 4 sources. 58% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

69th percentile

Better received than 69% of films

76th percentile among Adventure71st percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)72nd
Approval (how many liked it)63rd

68 /100

72nd percentile of all films

80th percentile among Adventure76th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.9 — solid but not unanimous.

58% liked it

63rd percentile of all films

71st percentile among Adventure66th percentile among 1990s
58% rated it 7–1042% rated it 1–6

Critics 61% · Audience 55%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 6 noms overall

  • WonBAFTA Awards· Best Children's Feature Film

90th percentile

35K ratings across platforms

85th percentile among Adventure86th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$23M
Opening weekend$5.4M
Domestic gross$27M
Worldwide gross$27M

Returned 1.2× its budget — 75th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • heartwarming and emotionally affecting journey
  • charming, witty script with life lessons
  • strong ensemble cast including Gena Rowlands, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin

Detractors panned

  • overly sentimental and predictable storyline
  • uneven pacing with dull stretches
  • underwritten characters and weak direction

What stands out

Emotional impactDivisive80

consistently described as tearjerking and moving for fans; detractors call manipulative

ActingDivisive78

ensemble praised for warmth and sincerity, especially Shalhoub and Rowlands; detractors find performances uneven

Effects and spectacleDivisive75

impressive animatronics and believable parrot movements

EndingDivisive75

satisfying, heartwarming resolution despite predictability

DialogueDivisive72

witty, clever lines and Jay Mohr's voice work; some find it grating

CharactersDivisive65

lovable supporting characters but some underwritten and clichéd

Plot and storyDivisive60

episodic journey formula that fans find endearing and detractors call predictable

OriginalityDivisive45

derivative of other talking-animal films; familiar road-trip structure

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 11 points higher than men.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 15 points higher than over-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 13 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Paulie like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
WarmHopefulMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Warm humor
Register
WarmSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film embraces its sentimental premise with warmth and sincerity, never winking at the audience.
The rideThe film maintains a consistently warm and hopeful mood, with occasional touches of melancholy during Paulie's separations.
StructurePaulie tells his life story to a janitor in a lab, with flashbacks to his adventures.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you smiling with hope for Paulie's reunion, but the journey has had its sad moments.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Quest
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% (this title) · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Journey home: The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypePaulie's journey across America to reunite with his owner drives the story, with each stop teaching a lesson.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsLoyalty · 4% of filmsFriendship · 9% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the deep cross-species bond between a girl and her parrot, and Paulie's unwavering loyalty in trying to reunite with her.
StanceThe film celebrates the bond between a child and her pet, affirming the importance of loyalty and love across species.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanSuburbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · John Debney
Settinga talking parrot's journey across America, from a family home to a research institute
MusicA gentle orchestral score that underscores the film's sentimental and adventurous moments.

Content guide

Is Paulie okay for kids?

PG

Paulie is rated PG: “Rated PG for brief mild language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (17/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at mild (27/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (22/100) and frightening material at moderate (38/100). Its violence, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • AustraliaG
  • Germany0
  • FranceU
  • Denmark7
  • NetherlandsAL
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 1%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 48%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (7 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (44 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Paulie have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Paulie?

Cast

Gena Rowlands
as Ivy
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tony Shalhoub
as Misha
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Cheech Marin
as Ignacio
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bruce Davison
as Dr. Reingold
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Trini Alvarado
as Adult Marie
Jay Mohr
as Paulie
Buddy Hackett
as Artie
Hallie Eisenberg
as Marie
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Matt Craven
as Warren
Bill Cobbs
as Virgil

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Paulie?

Movies like Paulie include A Dog's Purpose (2017), Lassie Come Home (1943) and Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021). Of the 12 closest matches, several are journey-home stories, and several are films set in New York.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its character type: animal companion. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Paulie?

813 other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: animal companion. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.