Paulie

Right now you can watch Paulie in the UK on Now TV Cinema — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Gena Rowlands — stay for everyone else around them. Put it on tonight on Now TV Cinema and see for yourself.

Paulie arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. Paulie does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. 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. Gena Rowlands and Tony Shalhoub lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1998. What keeps Paulie from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Paulie respects your intelligence. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Gena Rowlands anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.