Rio (2011)
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A domesticated macaw must navigate the vibrant streets of Rio de Janeiro to find freedom and a mate while evading bird smugglers.
The story
In Moose Lake, Minnesota, a young, orphaned male blue macaw named Blu is raised by Linda Gunderson. Though he is highly domesticated and cannot fly, he is taken to Rio de Janeiro by an ornithologist to mate with Jewel, the last known female of his species. Upon arrival, Blu and Jewel immediately clash due to their different lifestyles. Their journey becomes perilous when they are captured by a gang of bird smugglers and a villainous cockatoo named Nigel. The two macaws must navigate the vibrant streets of Rio, seeking a way to escape their captors and find their way to freedom.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being smuggled from Brazil and raised in Minnesota, Blu, a male Spix's macaw, is taken to Rio de Janeiro to mate with Jewel. The two birds are captured by a smuggler named Marcel and a villainous cockatoo named Nigel. They are forced to travel through Rio, aided by a group of friends including a toucan named Rafael, a cardinal named Pedro, and a canary named Nico. After a series of events, including a samba dance party and a tense escape from the smugglers, Blu and Jewel fall in love. During a climactic escape from a plane, Jewel's wing is injured, but Blu finally learns to fly and saves her. The film ends with Blu and Jewel establishing a sanctuary in Rio with their three hatchlings, while the smugglers are imprisoned and Nigel is left behind.
- First release year
- 2011
- Runtime (minutes)
- 94
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Carlos Saldanha
- Writers
- Don Rhymer · writer; Joshua Sternin · writer; Jennifer Ventimilia · writer; Sam Harper · writer
- Cast and characters
- Anne Hathaway · Jewel; Jesse Eisenberg · Blu; Jemaine Clement · Nigel; Leslie Mann · Linda Gunderson; George Lopez · Rafael; Jamie Foxx · Nico; Tracy Morgan · Luiz; Rodrigo Santoro · Túlio Monteiro
- Genres
- animated; musical; adventure; comedy
- Themes
- freedom; identity; nature vs. domestication
- Tone and mood
- vibrant; energetic
- Premise and plot tags
- animal adventure; musical; road trip
- Content notes
- mild off-color humor
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with significant praise for the music, character writing, and animation.
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Awards · Best Original Song · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The story concept originally involved a penguin being washed up in Rio.; The film's production involved consulting an expert on macaws at the Bronx Zoo.; The film was originally intended to have a PG rating but was changed to G.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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