We really liked this movie, which we recently saw on video.
We found the portrayal of the characters quite authentic,
even though both halves of Concetta Tomei's double role
were (intentionally) played a bit like caricatures, as was
Wayne Rogers' role as an animal shelter supervisor. There
are plenty of real people with similar personalities to
these three characters who "play" themselves just as
broadly! Only the stereotypically obnoxious local news
personality (acted by Michael Scott) was really given an
over-the-top performance. Christopher Pettiet, in the lead
role as Frank, is excellent. Our only negative criticism is
that the movie format didn't allow enough development of
the deeper themes of loss, abandonment, and "letting go"
signified by the title. "The Goodbye Bird" is an ideal
family movie, with something for all ages in an engaging
(if predictable) story, a sympathetic young hero, cute
animals, and plenty of points to spark discussions with
children about trust, compassion, and stewardship.