Rating: 
Summary: an instant classic
Review: Everyone deals with loss in their own way. 13 year old Amy Alden (Anna Paquin) deals with her loss by becoming what she has lost.
After losing her mother in a car crash, she goes to live with her father (Jeff Daniels) in Ontario, Canada. When developers orphan a nest of goose eggs, she takes them in and hatches them.
All geese will identify the first living thing they see as their mother, in this case, Amy. They follow her everywhere she goes, and imitate her. When a wildlife protection ranger tells her that she must clip their wings because they cannot fly south without their parents to guide them, she decides to take on the monumental task of raising them and teaching them to migrate south.
But that's only half the story. It is also about Amy's growth as a person after overcoming huge loss, and how the bonds of love can heal all things. So few films these days are memorable for anything other than their FX, but this heartwarming film is memorable for its story and its powerful delivery.
Anna Paquin plays Amy Alden with such force and emotion that it is sometimes hard to believe that one is watching a movie, and Jeff Daniels compliments her performance perfectly.
Beautifully orchestrated and filmed, it is sure to appeal to anyone who sees it, from the very young to the very old, from the emotional and sensitive to the most cold-hearted and insensitive. I saw this film when it first came out, and have seen it at least 20 times since, and it still gives me shivers up and down my spine every time I see it. It is truly worth the price of the DVD-- this is one movie you'll want in your collection for years to come.
Rating:
Summary: Another Carroll Ballard Classic...Fly Away Home is stunning!
Review: As a longtime admirer of Director Carroll Ballard, I was thrilled when the Special Edition of "Fly Away Home" was released on DVD. I wish Anchor Bay had done the same treatment to Never Cry Wolf. But this film is a classic for all ages. Its parallel story to the real life Bill Lishman is more than entertaining, it tugs at one's heart. And Anna Paquin is stunning as Amy as she is in every film. FLY AWAY HOME is also an environmental manifesto because it calls attention to the need for less development and more care for our habitat. I've rarely seen any comments along these lines and if you watch the movie closely, you'll realize that this is a call for change in scraping the land off and piling up huge neighborhoods and industry. It is testimony to the need for conservation in all countries. Finally, Fly Away Home is a family film that breaches the silliness that too many youth movies have evolved to. This movie treats younger viewers with intelligence, not like an etcha-sketch. I believe anyone with heart and soul will enjoy this movie for it will touch both.
Rating: 
Summary: Young girl and dad help young geese fly south for the winter
Review: The story of "Fly Away Home" is fairly predictable, in that we know full well that young Amy Alden (Anna Paquin) is going to persuade her father, Thomas (Jeff Daniels), to come up with a way of teaching a flock of adopted goslings how to fly and get them to a winter refuge in North Carolina. But predictability is not always a deterrent to a film being enjoyable or even inspirational, and you have to pity someone who cannot enjoy watching a bunch of baby geese running after Anna Paquin, convinced that she is there mother and therefore responsible for imprinting on them what they need to learn to survive. Besides, for what is ostensibly a children's film this one opens with a rather shocking scene, where we see a fatal car accident during the open credits while listening to a gentle melody. If there is anything that indicates this is more than your usual predictable children's film, this would be it. If there is a flaw in "Fly Away Home" it is that the relationship between daughter and father takes a back seat to the story of the geese, so that the pathos that exists there is almost lost in the flapping of wings (but there is a nice moment and a good line when the father tells his daughter why he know what she can do it). They two have been estranged by distance (he returned to Canada while his wife and daughter lived in New Zealand), and living together is not improving things. He is an eccentric artist and inventor who cannot figure out how to connect with a living human being until the geese that come between them bring them together. Fortunately, dad is spared the role of being the villain, because there are land developers at both ends of the flight and a wild life officer who knows what the rulebook says about domesticated geese. But those are just minor hurdles to the idea of flying 600-miles in four days in an ultra-light plane for Amy to lead her geese to their promised (wet) land. Yes, the idea that the clock is ticking and that bulldozers are ready to roll in North Carolina is all a bit much, but then there are moments, like when the ultra-lights and geese fly through the skyscrapers of Baltimore than just about take your breath away. I was not aware until after I watched the film that director Carroll Ballard and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel had previously collaborated on "The Black Stallion," but that certainly makes sense because both films are perfectly willing to let pictures exist without dialogue. The other commonality is that "Fly Away Home" is another film that adults can enjoy just as much as the kiddies.
Rating:
Summary: Yet must I not give Nature all, thy Art?
Review: The multiple chords struck by Carrol Ballard's heartbreaking work "Fly Away Home" are so universal, it is difficult to imagine a person of any gender or any age not being touched in some way by this genuine family film. Make no doubt, "Fly Away Home" is a true classic, timeless in beauty yet timely in theme. So many subjects are tackled, from estranged family dynamics to environmental messages, it is difficult to fully grasp this film's important impact from just one viewing. Each time I view this movie, I come away with new ideas, and a new hope for our common man and woman. Film director Carrol Ballard has achieved such lofty heights before with his debut film "The Black Stallion" and his stunning follow-up "Never Cry Wolf." Amazingly, he has once again climbed to the top of a very high mountain with "Fly Away Home." The story is anything but simple, but its a tale of a mother, lost in a car accident, thereby forcing the reunion of a daughter and estranged father. He's an eccentric Canadian, living in the country, working on multiple sculptures and experimenting with flying machines. She's a lost soul, seemingly homeless without the guidance of her late mother. Yes, father (Jeff Daniels) and daughter (Anna Paquin) bond, but it's due to the nature which surrounds their rural homestead. In this case, an orphaned flock of geese Paquin raises from birth after the destruction of their natural habitat by encroaching development. Paquin's character becomes a surrogate mother for these geese, and eventually she must learn to fly to enable the lost birds to travel south for the winter. Daniels accompanies his daughter out of love, and eventually understanding that this has become a rite of passage for his budding, maturing teenage girl. And somewhere along the way, a girl becomes a woman, and a father becomes a man. Much of the credit for "Fly Away Home" goes to the brilliant cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, who also worked with Ballard on "The Black Stallion" and "Never Cry Wolf." Certainly the musical selection of Mary Chapin Carpenter's haunting "10,000 Miles" is an inspirational if not brilliant choice. But the story is the key, and during a time of changing family dynamics amidst a society of shrinking nature, I can't imagine a film utilizing both themes with such skilled and relevant ease. "Fly Away Home" is such an important film, not only because a female protagonist breaks away from traditional bonds to find herself (no boy and his dog here), but because a self-centered man/father overcomes his weaknesses to find not only himself, but the person/daughter/child who defines his soul. "Fly Away Home" is about us finding our spirit during a trying time of divorce and misguided independent values. By bonding with the land, and as importantly with our family, we find our true spirit. And finally, "Fly Away Home" will bring a tear to the most hardened spirit, causing us to hug the ones we love, human or animal. Is that not the purpose of art - film, book, music or otherwise? I have applauded Carroll Ballard before. After "Fly Away Home," I not only applaud this extraordinarily gifted director, I salute him.
Rating:
Summary: A high-flying family movie
Review: In "Fly Away Home," a young girl named Amy (Anna Paquin), has to go live with her dad (Jeff Daniels) in Canada after her mom dies. She doesn't remember her dad or where he lives that well, so she's real lonely. That is, until she raises some geese. Like you might expect, these geese think Amy is their mom and they become VERY spoiled :-) . But that's not bad. The bad part is that winter is coming up and the geese have to somehow find out how to migrate to the South. If you like family movies at all, I recommend getting "Fly Away Home." It's a good movie that has a great story to go along with it. It's not only about becoming friends with animals, it's a story about growing up and learning to adapt to new people and a new place to live. "Fly Away Home" also has good cinematography and the acting isn't bad either. Get this high-flyer before it flies away!
Rating: 
Summary: The Birds
Review: This drama about a father/daughter relationship showed some promise in the beginning with a couple of tense scenes, but unfortunately the movie became more and more predictable and uninteresting as it went along. The main plot is about a 13 year old girl (Anna Paquin) whose pets consist in a bunch of baby geese. Problem is, as the geese grow up they will have to find their own way and fly away, so the girl and her father (Jeff Daniels) try to help the birds and end up guiding them to a safe place. Basically a feel-good-movie, "Fly Away Home" lacks dramatic tension, surprising situations and a solid plot. As it is, this drama is just a piece of harmless fluff with some pretty images and lots of boring scenes that seem endless and repetitive. The acting is competent and Carroll Ballard`s direction is equally decent, but overall this cinematic experience is way too lifeless, patchy and predictable. Children may like it, though, still this is nothing more than a cliched and unconvincing family movie. Well-intended but not very challenging.
Rating:
Summary: Yet must I not give Nature all, thy Art?
Review: The multiple chords struck by Carrol Ballard's heartbreaking work "Fly Away Home" are so universal, it is difficult to imagine a person of any gender or any age not being touched in some way by this genuine family film. Make no doubt, "Fly Away Home" is a true classic, timeless in beauty yet timely in theme. So many subjects are tackled, from estranged family dynamics to environmental messages, it is difficult to fully grasp this film's important impact from just one viewing. Each time I view this movie, I come away with new ideas, and a new hope for our common man and woman. Film director Carrol Ballard has achieved such lofty heights before with his debut film "The Black Stallion" and his stunning follow-up "Never Cry Wolf." Amazingly, he has once again climbed to the top of a very high mountain with "Fly Away Home." The story is anything but simple, but its a tale of a mother, lost in a car accident, thereby forcing the reunion of a daughter and estranged father. He's an eccentric Canadian, living in the country, working on multiple sculptures and experimenting with flying machines. She's a lost soul, seemingly homeless without the guidance of her late mother. Yes, father (Jeff Daniels) and daughter (Anna Paquin) bond, but it's due to the nature which surrounds their rural homestead. In this case, an orphaned flock of geese Paquin raises from birth after the destruction of their natural habitat by encroaching development. Paquin's character becomes a surrogate mother for these geese, and eventually she must learn to fly to enable the lost birds to travel south for the winter. Daniels accompanies his daughter out of love, and eventually understanding that this has become a rite of passage for his budding, maturing teenage girl. And somewhere along the way, a girl becomes a woman, and a father becomes a man. Much of the credit for "Fly Away Home" goes to the brilliant cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, who also worked with Ballard on "The Black Stallion" and "Never Cry Wolf." Certainly the musical selection of Mary Chapin Carpenter's haunting "10,000 Miles" is an inspirational if not brilliant choice. But the story is the key, and during a time of changing family dynamics amidst a society of shrinking nature, I can't imagine a film utilizing both themes with such skilled and relevant ease. "Fly Away Home" is such an important film, not only because a female protagonist breaks away from traditional bonds to find herself (no boy and his dog here), but because a self-centered man/father overcomes his weaknesses to find not only himself, but the person/daughter/child who defines his soul. "Fly Away Home" is about us finding our spirit during a trying time of divorce and misguided independent values. By bonding with the land, and as importantly with our family, we find our true spirit. And finally, "Fly Away Home" will bring a tear to the most hardened spirit, causing us to hug the ones we love, human or animal. Is that not the purpose of art - film, book, music or otherwise? I have applauded Carroll Ballard before. After "Fly Away Home," I not only applaud this extraordinarily gifted director, I salute him.
Rating:
Summary: A high-flying family movie
Review: In "Fly Away Home," a young girl named Amy (Anna Paquin), has to go live with her dad (Jeff Daniels) in Canada after her mom dies. She doesn't remember her dad or where he lives that well, so she's real lonely. That is, until she raises some geese. Like you might expect, these geese think Amy is their mom and they become VERY spoiled :-) . But that's not bad. The bad part is that winter is coming up and the geese have to somehow find out how to migrate to the South. If you like family movies at all, I recommend getting "Fly Away Home." It's a good movie that has a great story to go along with it. It's not only about becoming friends with animals, it's a story about growing up and learning to adapt to new people and a new place to live. "Fly Away Home" also has good cinematography and the acting isn't bad either. Get this high-flyer before it flies away!
Rating:
Summary: Young girl and dad help young geese fly south for the winter
Review: The story of "Fly Away Home" is fairly predictable, in that we know full well that young Amy Alden (Anna Paquin) is going to persuade her father, Thomas (Jeff Daniels), to come up with a way of teaching a flock of adopted goslings how to fly and get them to a winter refuge in North Carolina. But predictability is not always a deterrent to a film being enjoyable or even inspirational, and you have to pity someone who cannot enjoy watching a bunch of baby geese running after Anna Paquin, convinced that she is there mother and therefore responsible for imprinting on them what they need to learn to survive. Besides, for what is ostensibly a children's film this one opens with a rather shocking scene, where we see a fatal car accident during the open credits while listening to a gentle melody. If there is anything that indicates this is more than your usual predictable children's film, this would be it. If there is a flaw in "Fly Away Home" it is that the relationship between daughter and father takes a back seat to the story of the geese, so that the pathos that exists there is almost lost in the flapping of wings (but there is a nice moment and a good line when the father tells his daughter why he know what she can do it). They two have been estranged by distance (he returned to Canada while his wife and daughter lived in New Zealand), and living together is not improving things. He is an eccentric artist and inventor who cannot figure out how to connect with a living human being until the geese that come between them bring them together. Fortunately, dad is spared the role of being the villain, because there are land developers at both ends of the flight and a wild life officer who knows what the rulebook says about domesticated geese. But those are just minor hurdles to the idea of flying 600-miles in four days in an ultra-light plane for Amy to lead her geese to their promised (wet) land. Yes, the idea that the clock is ticking and that bulldozers are ready to roll in North Carolina is all a bit much, but then there are moments, like when the ultra-lights and geese fly through the skyscrapers of Baltimore than just about take your breath away. I was not aware until after I watched the film that director Carroll Ballard and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel had previously collaborated on "The Black Stallion," but that certainly makes sense because both films are perfectly willing to let pictures exist without dialogue. The other commonality is that "Fly Away Home" is another film that adults can enjoy just as much as the kiddies.
Rating:
Summary: Ya gotta love it. Instant classic
Review: There's not a bad character in this movie, except for the animal control official who persists in locking up the geese. And Anna Paquin just keeps getting better and better and better. She's definitely a child actress who will NOT fade away as she matures.
Story (inspired by an autobiography) is based on a girl who, recently left motherless, is shopped to live with the eccentric dad (Jeff Daniels) she hasn't seen in years. And then she becomes surrogate mother to a flock of motherless goslings who insist on growing up into a flock of geese. Comes time for them to migrate south, and they won't go. The rest of the movie is the harebrained scheme of how the geese are taught to follow 'Mom' in an ultralight. Beautifully and astonishingly photographed, this movie is an all around delight, a coming-of-age, a father-daughter bonding, a feel good story that is way more than the sum of its parts.
Ya gotta see it.
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