A dreamy boy (Modine) gets more and more fascinated by the flying of birds. He has only one friend, his life line (Cage), and when he leaves for Vietnam, to serve in the army, he follows him over there. Coming back to the US, he is so traumatized, he falls into apathy, starts thinking he is a bird, and is taken to a mental institution for veterans. His friend comes to look him up and talk to him, trying to get him back to a state of normalcy, by talking about their shared childhood memories, growing up in the sixties. In the end he gets through to him and gets him to talk to him again. They decide to escape the hospital together because staff memebers don't believe in his progress, as he is only talking to his friend and nobody else, and want to end their contact.
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Best part of story, including ending:
The story is wonderfully told, very fragmentary, yet you never lose track. There are a lot of references to birds, cages and flying in the cinematography, both beautiful and imaginative. And most of all it's a touching story of friendship against all odds.
Best scene in story:
The last scene where he (Modine) jumps off the roof top and you see his friend (Cage) think: Oh, no, now he still thinks he's a bird! But then the camera pans over the edge and you see he landed safely on a lower roof next to one they were standing on, smiling back at him.
Opinion about the main character:
Cage does most of the talking, but Modine is actually the main character. Of his character, I like his dreaminess and innocence best. And of Cage's, the deeply felt care for his friend.
