Rio

Rio has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus and Hulu. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 7,231 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Jesse Eisenberg is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

There is a reason Rio keeps coming up in conversation. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Rio from the crowd. Captured by smugglers when he was just a hatchling, a macaw named Blu never learned to fly and lives a happily domesticated life in Minnesota with his human friend, Linda. Blu is thought to be the last of his kind, but when word comes that Jewel, a lone female, lives in Rio de Janeiro, Blu and Linda go to meet her. Animal smugglers kidnap Blu and Jewel, but the pair soon escape and begin a perilous adventure back to freedom -- and Linda. The chemistry Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. It was released in 2011. What keeps Rio 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.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in Rio. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Jesse Eisenberg sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.