38/49
Bailey seeks attention and adventure elsewhere
Tale
Bailey lives with her brother Hunter and her father Bug, who raises them alone in a squat in North Kent. Bug doesn’t have much time for them. Barry Keoghan left Gladiator II (2024) to star in this film. Edited in Fontaines D.C.: Bug (2024). I love Andrea Arnold – her films always resonate with me and, while often heartbreaking and emotionally challenging, there’s always so much love, vulnerability and connection.
Their moments of joy and relief became my own
Bird has definitely taken me through almost every emotion on the spectrum and that to me is what cinema/art does at its best. Initially, I’m embarrassed to admit* that I found the violence enacted by these young people and the conditions they live in heartbreaking and shocking. However, the characters we are gradually introduced to and the insight we gain into the complexities of their relationships and circumstances are all-encompassing, so I found myself captivated by the story, the messages and the incredible individuals whose lives we get to witness. I became completely immersed in the main character and “Bird”, but also his father, brothers and mother. So, with the events that transpire, it is inevitable that the level of empathy and compassion I felt was overwhelming in every sense.
As was their pain and confusion, fear and anger
This is a testament to both the incredible cast (mostly new or very unknown actors), Arnold’s skill, and the combination of each person’s contribution to the making of the film. The soundtrack is always a big part of Arnold’s work, and while these were slightly more familiar tracks than usual for me (his films often introduce me to musicians and artists I’ve never heard of before, which is great!), the combined collection was just as important as the actors themselves. I still think back to several moments in the film and definitely want to see it again. I would recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed Arnold’s previous work, as well as those who enjoy Mike Leigh and Ken Loach. I totally get that this isn’t what a portion of moviegoers/cinephiles want in a film.
I laughed and cried, gasped and felt my insides glow at different points in Bird
But whatever your taste, I think it’s impossible not to be deeply invested in Bird and this is truly a film that most people should see. One thing I would like to point out is that unlike any of his other films (I think?), Arnold includes elements of magical realism and more visual metaphors (?). I’m not usually into this kind of surrealism/type of thing and I would still say it didn’t quite work for me personally. BUT, it didn’t take away from the rest, and I kind of “joined in” with the slight MR detour so that it was affective and mostly appreciated. My favorite moments are with Bug (played by Barry Keogh), and when he interacts with his kids, friends and girlfriend.
I hope you find the warmth, love and beauty in it too
It is definitely worth persevering if you are not convinced at first.* I am very fortunate in terms of my family environment and relatively little exposure to poverty and occasional violence),