In David Fincher’s perplexing 2008 time reversal outing “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” hummingbirds play a small but essential role, as the title character happens upon one while out at sea, recognizing the rarity of such an occurrence and how it seems to act as a precursor to a pivotal moment. Another manifests during a hurricane that frames the story, even turning up in the film’s final seconds…is this particular factoid indeed true, with regards to the characteristics of the hummingbird itself?
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Terry Masear might know. Directed by Sally Aitken, a documentary entitled “Every Little Thing” follows Masear as she goes about her life running a rehab center for these diminutive balls of energy; her first onscreen appearance at the film’s onset sees her driving to the facility, a massive house outside Los Angeles, as she speaks to her passenger Wasabi, one of many hummingbirds she’s been charged with nursing back to health by near-endless amounts of people who’ve come to recognize Masear as an expert in such a niche field. With her residence overflowing with birds in need of help, many of whom were provided by members of the public who happened upon them in various states of distress or injury, Masear’s ongoing mission has this woman, overflowing with compassion, acting as both caregiver and educator to those who call after finding their respective birds, bringing them to her and following up in the hope of a miracle that can see them return to the wild once more.
It isn’t always easy. The adorable outward appearance of each hummingbird, all equipped with names ranging from Raisin, Jimmy, and Cactus (the latter so named for the unfortunate manner in which it was found) mask the reality of how difficult this specific form of rehabilitation can be; some finders, wanting to enjoy their time with their bird, fail to understand the danger the slightest form of mishandling can do to these fragile creatures, such as one who’s wings have essentially been rendered useless after children took it upon themselves to cover the bird in the sugar water meant to serve as nutrition. There are moments of frustration, such as when Jimmy escapes his cage briefly, and seeing the burial of one who couldn’t make it can’t help but produce a tear. A 100% recovery is far from a guarantee, and seeing Masear’s efforts fall desperately short from time to time weighs the film with unexpected emotion. As she herself intones, getting attached to her tiny patients is far from a good idea when the outcome can oftentimes turn grim, and the importance of providing hope to the finders even when she immediately recognizes the absence of any rings true every time we see someone bring her another.
Additionally, acting as an autobiography of sorts, “Every Little Thing” detours into Masear’s complicated past, one wracked with childhood abuse and a 30+ year marriage to her soulmate Frank that ended in his untimely passing. The caregiving she provided him in his final days echoes that she gives her birds. Still, levity comes from another surprising source as the tidbits of knowledge she casually drops as to the personality of a hummingbird make for a suitable distraction from Masear’s trauma, whether it’s in speaking about how if a hummingbird rejects a potential suitor, said suitor will likely find itself killed, and in the combative world a wild hummingbird faces upon release from care. This care, as seen, climaxes with flight training; it’s impossible to suppress the desire to cheer when Cactus becomes airborne, even for the shortest of distances. Small victories lead to eventual success, but the road to complete recovery isn’t one traveled overnight.
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Masear remains an easygoing personality throughout, and the film possesses few, if any, flashes of filmmaking innovation, relying on the slice-of-life atmosphere and the juxtaposition of Masear’s day-to-day with the memories of her own life, creating an atmosphere signature of any good doc. It’s a movie that, pardon the pun, flies by with someone more concerned with the well-being of each hummingbird than anything else surrounding her, powering the narrative and creating a window that couldn’t be more of a joy into which to peek. Many films go to great lengths to stress their importance, often at the risk of overwhelming pretentiousness, but with “Every Little Thing,” the only things that matter are a selfless woman and the birds she loves. [A-]