Bird Review
After a short hiatus from film, director Andrea Arnold is back on our screens with her latest movie, Bird which has already obtained critical acclaim so far. While Arnold has been working as a director on various TV series, her last film, American Honey, came out in 2016. It feels like I have been waiting to see it ever since the film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2024, so I could not help but be excited after seeing it as part of this year’s London Film Festival.
Set in the UK, the film follows the life of Bailey (Nykiya Adams), a 12-year-old girl who lives in a squat in North Kent with her brother Hunter (Jason Buda) and their single dad Bug (Barry Keoghan). The latter does not spend much time with his kids, which leaves Bailey to look elsewhere in her pursuit of attention and adventure. During the film, she forms a unique bond with a mysterious stranger named Bird (Franz Rogowski) who is, in turn, looking for his own family. This encounter will ultimately change Bailey’s life and the fractured home situation she feels so trapped in.
The movie is especially successful thanks to Nykiya Adams’ outstanding performance as Bailey. In an impressive acting debut, she is in many ways the heart and soul of this film with her layered and emotional portrayal of the main character who has had to be strong and care for everyone else for far too long. Her acting is perfectly matched by the softness of Franz Rogowski as Bird who acts as the perfect counterbalance to Bailey, making all their scenes together worthwhile. Barry Keoghan, despite the limited screen time in a secondary role, is just as good at portraying both the growth and the negative sides of his character that make the audience and his own daughter tense whenever he appears on screen in the first half of the film.
In this sense, Bird is a welcome change from all of this, providing relief from all the toxic masculinity that we see on the screen before him and allowing both the viewers and the characters to release a tension they did not know they had been holding on to. His arrival, and his presence on screen from then on, are preceded by a strong wind, ethereal and mysterious music, and the appearance of animals, mostly birds. The film focused on all of these with meticulous attention, while also effortlessly integrating these elements within its narrative and rhythm.
The film’s realism in depicting Bailey’s abusive home situation, which may unfortunately resonate with some people in the audience, is perfectly matched by the elements of magical realism in the film. Those are perfectly integrated within the context of the movie, while also standing out thanks to the production design and clever use of music. Not much is explained regarding the more magical and surrealist elements of the film, but the more you watch it the more you realise that does not matter. These elements not only represent the imagination of a child forced to grow up too soon, but they also provide a way out for Bailey from a situation that is bigger than her.
In a near-perfect film, I wish it had been more tightly edited. While the pace is excellent, the film uses the call-back technique too much from my liking, often showing shots or scenes that we have just seen earlier in the movie to indicate what Bailey is thinking about. But this feels very unnecessary and repetitive as the viewers have just seen all of these moments play out earlier in the movie and Adams is perfectly able to convey those feelings and emotions regardless. At times, the music also fades too abruptly and quickly, but this is only a minor inconvenience compared to the brilliant use of the soundtrack throughout the movie.
Overall, Bird is a very beautiful and touching film. Elevated by wonderful performances and some inspired directing in some of the shots in the second half of the film, Arnold’s latest film is truly a gem you want to see on a big screen to thoroughly enjoy everything it has to offer. In the end, I would not be surprised if it leaves its viewers crying as they come out of the cinema and reflect on everything this movie is telling us during its runtime.
★★★★
Playing at the 2024 BFI London Film Festival on October 19th and 20th / In UK cinemas on November 8th / Nykiya Adams, Barry Keoghan, Franz Rogowski / Dir: Andrea Arnold/ MUBI / 15
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