Rare Birds is a 2001 Canadian comedy-drama film,[1] directed by Sturla Gunnarsson and written by Edward Riche based on his novel.

His wife Claire (Sheila McCarthy) has left him and lives in Washington, DC, while his restaurant, the Auk is not doing good business.

Phonse has been working on a prototype Recreational Submarine Vehicle (RSV) and is concerned that the Winnebago company is conducting industrial espionage and trying to steal his plans.

[4] The soundtrack features music by The Pogues, Ashley MacIsaac, Émile Benoît and Della Reese, alongside an orchestral score by Jonathan Goldsmith.

[2] Glen Schaefer of The Province reviewed the film positively, writing that "It's nice to see Parker, Canada's reigning onscreen queen of gloomy sexual dysfunction (Kissed, The Centre of the World), display the lighter side she hasn't used since TV's Twitch City.

"[7] Marke Andrews of the Vancouver Sun was more mixed, calling the film uneven but praising Jones's performance as Phonse and Riche's ear for dialogue with "an almost musical quality".

[2] Jeet Heer of the National Post was similarly ambivalent, writing that "Rare Birds has enough problems to sink three movies.