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 Wildlife of the Mountains
 The Price of Milk
 In My Father's Den
 Second-Hand Wedding
 7 Days - Series One, Episode Three

Synopsis

Director Paul Murphy follows Second Hand Wedding with a romance featuring comedian Rhys Darby, songs by Queen and ... a duck. Darby plays heartbroken nice guy Doug: after a close encounter with a native duck (a paradise shelduck) with emotional problems, he enlists expert help from a sassy animal specialist (played by Brit Sally Hawkins, a Golden Globe-winner for feature Happy-Go-Lucky). True to rom-com form, love ensues ... eventually. NZ Herald reviewer Russell Baillie called Love Birds “an endearingly funny, if sugar-coated local romantic comedy”.

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Comments (1)

 Heidi

Heidi

Posted at 09.29PM - 10.09.2011

Seriously? No no one has posted a comment? Nick Ward - nice writing. Rhys Derby - brilliant for the role. Paul Murphy, I just found out is Geoff Murphy's son. No wonder this was such a great NZ film. Heidi

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Produced by

  • Matthew Metcalfe
  • Atlantic Film Production

Source

Hoyts Distribution

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Related Titles (5)

 7 Days - Series One, Episode Three

7 Days - Series One, Episode Three

Television, 2009 (Full Length Episode)

Also features Rhys Darby

 Wildlife of the Mountains

Wildlife of the Mountains

Short Film, 1958 (Full Length)

More native ducks - the rare whio

 Second-Hand Wedding

Second-Hand Wedding

Film, 2008 (Trailer)

Features the same writer/director

 The Price of Milk

The Price of Milk

Film, 2000 (Trailer)

Another quirky Kiwi romance

 In My Father's Den

In My Father's Den

Film, 2004 (Trailer, Excerpts, and Extras)

More of actor Emily Barclay

Quotes

You’re just some bloke who’s too scared to fly, with a duck that can’t. 

– Holly (Sally Hawkins) to Doug (Rhys Darby)

Love Birds does what it does just fine. There is Queen on the soundtrack, love in the air, and quite probably a smile on your face as the credits roll. 

– Graeme Tuckett, reviewing Love Birds for The Dominion Post

One of Rhys’ skills is adlibbing and just changing it up, and the most enjoyable part of that was Sally (Hawkins), having done a lot of work with people like Mike Leigh, was totally up for it. 

– Director Paul Murphy, in an interview in Onfilm (February 2011)