The Starling

You don't need another "must-watch drama" list — The Starling in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Netflix earns the spot regardless. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 330 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Melissa McCarthy anchors it with a performance that rewards close attention. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

There is a reason The Starling keeps coming up in conversation. The Starling takes its time building the world its characters inhabit, and the patience pays off. A woman adjusting to life after a loss contends with a feisty bird that's taken over her garden — and a husband who's struggling to find a way forward. Melissa McCarthy and Chris O'Dowd lead a cast doing genuinely serious work here. The Starling came out in 2021. What elevates The Starling is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, The Starling delivers. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Melissa McCarthy carries the material with a performance that rewards close attention. Worth starting sooner rather than later.

The Starling was released in 2021, directed by Theodore Melfi. The full 103-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.