Fly Away Home

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Fly Away Home

PG

1996

1h 47m

Kids & Family

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

46 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

After Amy (Anna Paquin) loses her mother in a car accident, she must uproot her life and move to Canada to live with her father, Thomas, (Jeff Daniels), an oddball inventor with whom she has no relationship. She initially struggles to find her place in her new home, but things change when she stumbles upon a collection of abandoned goose eggs. When the eggs hatch, Amy and her dad work together teaching the motherless birds to fly south for the winter, and their relationship blooms.

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Critics Consensus

Well-acted and beautifully filmed, Fly Away Home offers heartwarming entertainment for moviegoers of all ages.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

02/27/2018

No better children's film has appeared all year, but my bet is it'll be the grown-ups, not the kids, who come away with a lump in the throat.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/24/2010

5/5

Thrilling, touching adventure for animal lovers.

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Todd McCarthy

Variety

11/27/2008

The dynamic between Daniels' vigorous, if self-involved, artist father and Paquin's initially sullen, eventually self-discovering teenager is warmly and believably conveyed, with both thesps doing strongly individualistic work.

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Mal Vincent

The Virginian-Pilot

03/01/2022

3.5/4

Fly Away Home lacks the visual splendor (probably because of budget) of The Black Stallion or the emotional force of Born Free but it is, nonetheless, a welcome addition to the sparse genre.

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Rachel Wagner

Rachel's Reviews (YouTube)

05/13/2019

9.5/10

It feels like a believable family unit.

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Blake- N

@PBSAniDom May 8

Fly Away Home is a genuinely uplifting and beautifully told family drama that stands out for its heart and simplicity. It takes a straightforward story and turns it into something quietly powerful and emotionally resonant. The film works so well because of its strong central performances and the natural chemistry between the characters. It feels authentic rather than overly polished, which makes the emotional journey even more effective. Visually, it’s also very engaging, with sweeping natural landscapes that give the story a real sense of scale and freedom. It balances intimate character moments with broader, more inspiring imagery. Overall, it’s a heartfelt and memorable film that’s easy to connect with and hard to forget. I’d rate it a 9/10—beautiful, moving, and absolutely worth watching.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 06/10/2025

Success in 01 hour, 47 minutes, and 01 second!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Starring Jeff Daniels and Anna Paquin as a father and daughter team of geese leaders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Copyright 1996-2025 Columbia Tri-Star Pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Filmed in color for the September 13th, 1996, release date of this movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Rick M

@RT28141542 05/18/2025

Magical, moving, beautiful.

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Greg S

@RT70130008 01/02/2025

Simply magical and touching. Daniels' best role ever. A beautiful film.

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Lucas t

@Groovy 06/06/2024

Very good movie I highly enjoyed this film. 7.3/10.

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Paige M

@RT79446690 03/26/2024

Childhood right here!

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Carroll Ballard

Director

Jeff Daniels

Thomas Alden

Anna Paquin

Amy Alden

Dana Delany

Susan Barnes

Terry Kinney

David Alden

Holter Graham

Barry Stickland

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Synopsis

After Amy (Anna Paquin) loses her mother in a car accident, she must uproot her life and move to Canada to live with her father, Thomas, (Jeff Daniels), an oddball inventor with whom she has no relationship. She initially struggles to find her place in her new home, but things change when she stumbles upon a collection of abandoned goose eggs. When the eggs hatch, Amy and her dad work together teaching the motherless birds to fly south for the winter, and their relationship blooms.

Director: Carroll Ballard
Producer: Stephen Price
Screenwriter: Bill Lishman, Robert Rodat, Vince McKewin
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: PG
Genre: Kids & Family, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 13, 1996, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 2, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $24.6M
Runtime: 1h 47m
Sound Mix: Surround