Fly Away Home - A Movie Review

Fly through the sky to freedom.

Fly Away Home flew into theaters in 1996. After a tragedy, Amy moves in with her dad. Trying to reestablish their relationship, Amy makes a discovery. Hatchlings of geese believe Amy to be their mother. It’s up to Amy and her dad to figure out how to help them fly south.

Fly Away Home was one of my favorite films as a kid. It is an emotional story that breathes layers. And bird feathers! I always loved the sequences where Amy flew with the geese in the skies. After coming back to it on my most recent watch, Fly Away Home is an eye-opening film that retains a deep message about family, love, and trust.

Jeff Daniels and Anna Paquin do a tremendous job solidifying a father-daughter relationship. They have to learn to trust again. The journey to mend their relationship feels real. We witness every moment as they explore a new bond.

My favorite attribute about Paquin’s performance is how she expressed herself through her eyes. Broken from a terrible loss, Amy finds a new calling. Her devotion to becoming the mother figure to geese is endearing. I can tell Paquin had fun leading a pack of geese around and interacting with them.

Jeff Daniels is fantastic in any role he is given. He knows how to juggle comedy and drama to which he succeeds at delivering. Thomas is an eccentric man. But he made a commitment to change for the sake of his daughter. Daniels sells Thomas’ emotion along with the love he holds for his daughter.

Other credits include Dana Delany, Terry Kinney, Holter Graham, Jeremy Ratchford, and a band of honking geese. All the characters are eccentric. It’s okay to be you. And they also enforce a message that no matter what, somebody is always here for you.

The geese are not just geese in Fly Away Home. Each is given characterization. They have scenes dedicated to comedic moments where they are exploring the house. Filmmakers did a wonderful job with the care and safety of the geese. While we may find geese irritating, this film provides geese with a more positive depiction.

Speaking of which, the film’s cinematography is a standout. Locations of open fields, sunsets, and other notable skylines are obtained in a beautiful array of depth. One aspect that drew me into this movie was the realistic feeling of flying like a bird. The flying contraption is a cool device. Now I want to fly through the skies on one.

Mary Chapin Carpenter performs a touching song, ‘10,000 miles’. I want to talk about the editing of this film. Editors did a fantastic job with the different angles. Specifically at the beginning of the movie, as we witness a harrowing event, a great focus went to the perspective of the scene and overall tone with the song drifting in the background. The song has multiple meanings, just like life. The music is excellent, selling the healing mood of the film.

Fly Away Home is a story about growth. It’s a story about trust. It’s a story about how to overcome loss and move on. Carroll Ballard directed an empowering film. I am inspired by the way he looked after his cast, crew, but most especially the geese. It executes a powerful message to never give up even in the most challenging times.

Fly Away Home is an emotional film. But it is a story that you have to witness. I recommend that you find it. I’m sure you’ll want to go for a ride in the sky afterward.