Seems every year I have an overall running theme in my movie selection. This year, it’s feels like it’s the offbeat and the quirky sub-genre showing up again and again. This time I didn’t only expect it, but I was looking forward to it and it didn’t disappoint. Funny enough, that doesn’t mean this will be widely appreciated with mainstream audiences but it definitely struck a chord with me.

Giving Birth To A Butterfly (2021) is directed by Theodore Schaefer who wrote the script with Patrick Lawler. Life seems to be stuck in a rut for Diana (Annie Parisse). Her husband Daryl (Paul Sparks) dreams of opening a restaurant and her son Drew (Owen Campbell) just brought home his new girlfriend Marlene (Gus Birney) who happens to be pregnant. Chasing a small dream of her own, Diana ends up victim of identity theft. With very little options, she asks Marlene to assist and drive to the one address where the culprit seems to live. And so begins a strange journey for both Diana and Marlene.

I have to say, there’s definitely a Lynchian feel to it. Marlene’s mother Monica (Constance Shulman) still lives in her dream of being an actress. Daryl is infuriating as he expects his entire family to give up any dream for his own. As for the destination of Diana and Marlene’s road trip, let’s just say once you meet Nina (Judith Roberts) twice you will not be sure you are not dreaming yourself. There’s a bit of a storybook fable feel to it once you reach the ending as well.

Highly recommended for those up for a good dose of the weird and unusual. Yes, I would put in a reservation here because the premise might not be resolved to satisfaction but I do like the ending anyways. The characters are engaging and you almost wish there was more of it to follow. Then again, sometimes it’s better to leave your audience wanting more. Worth a watch in my book.

That will do for now.