With Rare Birds, as with The Shipping News before it, an attempt is made to transplant a Hollywood star into Newfoundland's wild soil -- and The Rock once again resists the intrusion.
– Peter Howell,
Toronto Star,
1 Mar 2002
rotten:
The movie keeps coming back to the achingly unfunny Phonce and his several silly subplots.
– Ty Burr,
Boston Globe,
4 Oct 2002
rotten:
Rendered bland and frustrating by its endless attempts to make the odd odder.