A movie about an animatronic talking parrot might give viewers that kind of uneasy "been there, done that" vibe from a hundred other unsuccessful kiddie movies, but Paulie generates a comfortable blend of warmth and sarcasm that shrugs off any advanced bias. Hip comedian Jay Mohr was a wise choice for the voice of the wisecracking bird, and in an especially fun scene, the actor himself shows up as a small-time hood trying to use the bird as an accomplice on his heists, bringing the two into a kind of doppelganger conversation. One of Paulie's unexpected strengths -- though some might consider it a plot hole -- is that few of Paulie's human acquaintances are flabbergasted by his ability to speak. Instead, they treat the amiable but tactless bird as an equal, engaging in talks about universal truths as though his status as a sentient creature were a given. Tony Shalhoub is the standout among the humans, as the humble Russian janitor who thinks that tangerines taste "delirious," but all of the recognizable actors submit game cameos. Because it came from DreamWorks, as part of the studio's initial spate of family themed films (including Antz and Mouse Hunt), the visual effects used to animate the parrot are first rate. Paulie is memorable for matter-of-factly creating a fairy-tale environment in which suspension of disbelief is surprisingly easy, and the results are more sweet than cloying.