CHINA BIRD - a synopsis

 

      CHINA BIRD is an unconventional love story about two people - one a reserved and lonely bank manager, the other an amiable and care-free con-artist dealing in forged art works -- brought together under very peculiar circumstances.  

 

      ANGIE DAWSON is a attractive, 42 year old woman who has given up on life. She works as an Assistant Bank Manager, but life has visited many a disappointment upon her.  Furthermore, Angie has lost the capacity to trust others; and she suspects that her boyfriend PATRICK is seeing other women behind her back. Her job is tiresome and her companion at work, TRISHA,  can't understand why Angie maintains such an impenetrable reserve.     

      Enter MICHAEL FLYNN, a mysterious and attractive man of 28, who wants to place a bag of money in a safe deposit box at the bank. He claims to know her, but Angie finds his forward manner off putting.  She would prefer a professional distance, particularly because the enormous value of the deposit arouses her mistrust.  Before leaving, Flynn asserts that he chose to bring this matter to her because he doesn't trust anyone else.

      That evening, Angie watches passively form her window as a group of thugs mug a a club-footed neighbor of hers by the name of DANIEL.  She has never spoken a word to Daniel, but his suffering arouses feelings of empathy.  She wants to reach out but she can't overcome her natural tendency to keep to herself.  Angie and Daniel will cross paths a few times without saying a word to each other.

      The following morning, Angie is accosted by a thug who attempts to steal her briefcase.  Flynn and his sister, CHLOE HARPER, a gallery owner, intercede and return her briefcase to her. Flynn explains the coincidence of their arrival  by claiming to be apartment hunting.  Furthermore, Chloe claims to be Flynn's fiancee.  Angie, feeling beholden to them for helping her, offers to be of assistance to them; andChloe takes advantage of the offer to ask Angie to deliver a painting -- The Lady of Shallot -- for them. Angie agrees. 

      Angie makes the delivery to a man by the name of ARMSTRONG, and, in exchange, receives a package which Flynn later collects from her when he picks her up from work.   Flynn, however, is shocked to learn that the package contains only a portion of the fee and that she has given Armstrong her address so that Armstrong might deliever the remainder upon authentication of the painting.  Flynn walks her to her apartment only to find that someone has broken in and ransacked the place. Without admitting any wrongdoing, Flynn suggests that the painting might have been a fake, and that Armstrong might have been dissatisfied with the deal. Angie is shocked and wants nothing more to do with this shady business. She refuses to give Flynn the money which Armstrong had given to her until this can be cleared up. Flynn, genuinely apologetic for how things have turned out, offers to clear everything up. He invites her to Chloe's gallery to discuss matters. Later, Daniel introduces himself and claims to have heard everything; he offers to let her stay with him.

      Angie meets with Chloe and Flynn; but Chloe takes a dislike to Angie, mistaking Angie's reserve for aloofness.  She does not regard Angie as one of them; but Flynn wants to get Angie out of this. Angie learns that the mugging was staged to make her feel beholden enough to help them; apparently, they prefer to preserve their anonymity by using patsies to deliver the works of art. Angie also learns that the works of art are not always genuine; and that Chloe and Flynn are con-artists who make a living by duping their buyers into buying fakes. Angie is appalled, and still refuses to return the package which Armstrong had given her.  Chloe offers to let her in on a deal to sell an exquisite porcelain figurine, called the China Bird, to a prospective buyer; but Angie's refusal to get involved angers Chloe. Flynn can't persuade her to return the package or to participate in the delivery, but she agrees to let him pick her up from work the following day. She returns home and takes Daniel up on his offer to let her stay with him. She doesn't understand how forgiving he can be of those who hurt him, but Daniel has attained a state of peace which Angie aspires to attain herself.

      Flynn picks her up from work, but he surprises her by making the delivery  of the China Bird before taking her home.  Flynn meets with an unctuous  buyer by the name of KALE, along with Kale's laconic bodyguard, WINSTON. Flynn exchanges the figurine for a portion of the fee; but things go wrong when Armstrong shows up, revealing himself to be a proxy buyer for Kale. Flynn and Angie attempt to drive away before Armstrong can recognize Angie; but it's too late when Winston begins firing a gun at their car.   There's no turning back for Angie.  Flynn informs her that there is no such thing as the China Bird and that the figurine was a fake. But he insists that he will do whatever it takes to make things right. 

      Angie has given the money deposit to Daniel for safekeeping. But when Flynn and Angie arrive to pick up he package, they discover that Daniel had the ill-fortune of cleaning up Angie's ransacked apartment when the men arrived to look for the second package. Daniel has been beaten, but he insists that he told the men nothing. Daniel concealed the package in his apartment, but Flynn can't find it. Flynn presumes that the men have found it and taken it. Daniel refuses to leave his apartment, however, because he's determined to hold his ground and to take his chances.  Angie worries about Daniel.

      Flynn agrees to take Angie to a motel; but when they meet with Chloe, Chloe rebukes Flynn for taking such an unprofessional interest in Angie. Chloe doesn't trust her and she informs Flynn that she and her brother Flynn having done just fine together.  Chloe takes the money which Kale had given Flynn; but Flynn and Angie are surprised to learn that there is a real China Bird and that Chloe might still try to sell it to Kale.

      Flynn insists on helping Angie; but they argue at the motel. Flynn leaves to visit Kale in an attempt to strike a deal with him; but Kale strikes no bargain with Flynn and demands that Flynn return the money he stole. Flynn agrees to return it the following evening, and Kale shows he means business by having Winston dislocate Flynn's arm.

      Now temporarily crippled, Flynn returns to the motel because he needs Angie to help drive him to Chloe's apartment. Once there, Flynn learns that Chloe has packed and taken the money with her. Flynn is upset that she could have abandoned him like this; but, before leaving, he grabs one of the duplicate birds.

      Angie, desirous of checking up on Daniel, takes Flynn to see Daniel. Flynn, upset that everything has fallen apart, takes his anger out on Daniel and criticizes him for having quietly accepted the evil in this world.  Despite Flynn's harsh words, Daniel offers to reset Flynn's dislocated arm; and Flynn is abashed. Daniel also produces the package containing the money which Flynn believed to have been taken. There's a glimmer of hope for Flynn.

      Flynn and Angie return to the motel where their feelings for one another come to a head.  Angie overcomes her tendency towards mistrust and opens up towards Flynn; she has already become more comfortable with taking an active part in her life. Flynn needs Angie because he feels comfortable with her, and because he thinks he can trust her. They declare their feelings for each other. Angie's life has changed irrevocably.

      Regrettably, Flynn has chosen to meet with Kale at the appointed time; he refuses to run from his problems as he always has. Angie is concerned that this would be a mistake, considering he doesn't have the money; but Flynn did promise to clear everything up and settle accounts for her. Flynn drops Angie off at her home to see Daniel while he, his arm now better, drives on to see Kale. Angie stumbles upon Daniel just as Winston and another thug by the name of MONKEY are torturing him in order to obtain her whereabouts.  She bravely surrenders herself, but its too late to save Daniel who dies from their abuse. The thugs take Angie to Kale's mansion.

      Flynn arrives at Kale's, only to discover that Chloe is there already in an attempt to arrange a deal. Chloe has brought the original China Bird, while Kale arrives with a second duplicate bird. Kale, upset to find two such China Birds, becomes enraged and destroys both of them. Chloe is in shock that Kale could have destroyed something so priceless, and when Kale demands justice, she offers her head.  The thugs arrive with Angie just as Kale shoots Chloe in the leg. Flynn tussles with Kale only to be outnumbered by the thugs. Kale orders the three of them to leave and regards the matter settled. He wants them out of his hair.

      Chloe and Flynn take Angie home; but Flynn explains that he and Chloe have to leave for a while until the dust settles. Angie is upset, but they must go their separate ways.  Weeks later, Flynn, as promised, meets her at the bank, where she has attempted to resume her life as she'd been living it.; only with Flynn can Angie's life truly begin again.