Dean Israelite’s coming-of-age drama film, Little Wing, follows the ups and downs of 13-year-old Kaitlyn’s life as she faces the typical teenage dramas many of us can relate to. Amidst Kaitlyn’s parents’ divorce, the teenage girl finds comfort in an unexpected companion: pigeons! In a bold move, Kaitlyn decides to steal a valuable pigeon named Granger, believing that, like the birds, everyone has a permanent home they belong to, no matter what changes life throws at them. Her goal? To save her family’s house from financial trouble. As Kaitlyn goes through these difficulties on her path, she learns some very valuable lessons about friendship and the true meaning of having a roof over the head, which we can call home. In the end, Dean Israelite’s film isn’t just about saving a house. Instead, Little Wing is about the journey of growing up and finding one’s rightful place in the world. So, without any further ado, let’s recap the events of the film and find out what happens at the end of Little Wing.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Did Kaitlyn Decide To Steal Granger?
At the beginning of Little Wing, we meet Kaitlyn, a teenager who’s not been able to focus in school. She’s got potential, but she’s not putting in the effort. Instead, she blames her parents’ divorce for her lack of focus. She tries to manipulate the situation for her benefit, like most teenagers do, by acting all vulnerable and getting an iPhone, but her mom’s boss gives her pigeons as a gift instead. She’s not happy about it at all. In fact, she tells her mom that chickens would’ve been better because at least they could be eaten. But Kaitlyn’s biggest worry is about losing their house. The mortgage is too high, and her mom can’t afford it alone.
The house means everything to Kaitlyn. It’s been her home her whole life, and she doesn’t want to lose it, especially with everything else changing around her. She talks to her best friend, Adam, about it. He doesn’t want her to leave either. He knows Kaitlyn isn’t fond of the pigeons. So he does some research so that Kaitlyn can showcase some love towards them and finds out about an old man named Jaan Vari, who lives nearby in Portland, who has a super-fast racing pigeon named Granger, worth a hundred grand. This gives Kaitlyn an idea: what if they steal Granger and sell him to help with the mortgage? It’s a rebellious plan, but Kaitlyn is desperate to save their home. So, she and Adam decide to sneak into Jaan Vari’s house at night and take Granger. It’s risky, but Kaitlyn is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her family together in their home.
What Happened After They Stole Granger?
The girl, who usually doesn’t pay attention to her studies, suddenly becomes an expert on pigeons. She learns that, like humans, pigeons know their homes really well and always come back to them. One night, she cycles to Jaan Vari’s house with Adam and finds the prized pigeon, Granger. She hesitates, wondering if she’s making a mistake, but decides it’s for the right reasons and goes ahead with the plan. When they’re trying to escape, Adam goes back to retrieve his goggles and gets caught by Jaan Vari. Kaitlyn leaves him behind and takes off with Granger, not even looking back. The next day, she finds out that Adam broke his wrist, and he is upset that she didn’t wait for him. Classic teenage drama! He gets mad and decides not to help her anymore, leaving her without a friend. Feeling awful about losing her friend, she realizes she needs to find a buyer for Granger.
After trying many options, she ends up selling him to a Russian black market. She doesn’t speak Russian, but she manipulates a classmate, Kiril, into helping her by promising to help him with spelling tests. She sells Granger for $25,000 instead of the $100,000 he’s worth. She’s not happy about it, but the Russian gang tells her the bird’s value dropped because it’s stolen. She needs the money, so she agrees. When Jaan comes to return a bag she left at his house, he offers to help her take care of her pigeons, disclosing about her theft to her mother. But when he realizes Granger is missing, he’s furious. He’s battling lung cancer, and Granger was his pride and joy, earning him respect and trophies. Jaan threatens to tell her cop mom everything, but instead of panicking, she gives him her mom’s number. She feels like she has nothing left, with her parents divorcing, Adam not speaking to her, and her selling Granger. She even feels like dying. But Jaan, who’s been through tough times in Vietnam, tells her that running from problems isn’t the answer. She needs to face her mistakes and troubles head-on.
How Did They Finally Save Granger?
Kaitlyn starts to bond with her pet pigeons, giving them names like Charlie, Tickets, and Juliet. As she learns more about pigeon habitats, she becomes fascinated with pigeon racing, especially after spending time with Jaan. When she sees her pigeons return home, she feels a newfound happiness and understands the bond between Jaan and Granger. She realizes that, like her pigeons, everyone has one home in their life, and leaving it can feel like being trapped in a cage. Slowly, she starts repairing her relationship with her mom, and things start looking up. Kaitlyn and Adam plan to participate in a pigeon race and hope to find Granger in the race who is either sold by the Russian gang or kept for breeding. But when they encounter the Russian pigeon mafia, Kaitlyn feels disgusted as they wink at her, realizing she sold Granger to the wrong people. She apologizes to Jaan and promises to get Granger back. With the help of her brother Matt, who rarely speaks, and Jaan, the dying old man, they devise a plan to rescue Granger. Matt’s courage in risking his life to climb onto the property and retrieve Granger is a victory for Kaitlyn. After rescuing Granger, Kaitlyn is torn about leaving behind the money she received for him. Matt encourages her to let it go. When the mafia threatens them, they release Granger so he can return home to Jaan’s pigeon coop.
As Little Wing comes to an end, Kaitlyn finds herself in a much better place. She feels more in control of her life and is no longer considering drastic measures like dying, as she once did. Her friendship with Adam is back on track, and together she gets to witness the exciting pigeon race of her pet pigeons, which she finds incredibly thrilling. Even better, her brother Matt manages to convince their father to provide the money they need to keep their house, bringing a sense of relief and happiness to Kaitlyn. She begins to understand that, despite the challenges, everything works out in the end if you face life head-on. However, the biggest surprise comes when Kaitlyn discovers Granger has returned to her house. It seems he’s chosen it as his new home. When Kaitlyn tries to return Granger to Jaan, he refuses, explaining that he needs to focus on his cancer treatments. He’s relieved that Granger has found a new home with Kaitlyn, allowing him to let go of his burdens. Despite being just an 8th grader, through these experiences, Kaitlyn learns the most valuable lesson: that life can be kind if you’re kind to it.
