At The Movies: Bird
Andrea Arnold’s fifth feature film, Bird (2024), is an alluring coming-of-age drama that balances rawness with moments of magical realism. The film explores a week in the turbulent life of Bailey (Nykiya Adams), a twelve-year-old girl growing up in England.
Set in a low socioeconomic community in Kent, Bird follows Bailey navigate the transition between childhood and adolescence. Living in a dilapidated high-rise with her father, Bug (Barry Keoghan), and half-brother, Hunter (Jason Buda), Bailey struggles without a constant maternal presence. Negotiating her burgeoning puberty, everchanging identity, and Bug’s pending nuptials to his girlfriend of three months, Kayleigh (Frankie Box), proves particularly challenging for her. When she unexpectedly meets Bird (Franz Rogowski), who is on his own journey to find his mother, she begins to view her world through a magical realism lens. The bleak merges with the remarkable and allows her to temporarily escape from her problematic reality.
Bird explores themes of family, self-discovery and escapism. From the opening sequence, where Bailey films a flying bird with her phone, her desire for a similar freedom is apparent. Unsurprisingly, given the film’s title, the bird motif is repeated throughout the film, often without subtlety. It is an eye-roll moment when Bailey meets a stranger in a field who reveals his name is Bird. It suggests Arnold does not trust the viewer to connect the dots. This misgiving taints an otherwise well-crafted piece of cinema.
On the other hand, intergenerational adolescent parenthood and multi-partnered fertility are germane to the storyline without being thrust in your face. They reveal much about Bailey’s relationships, particularly with Bug and her absent mother, Peyton (Jasmine Jobson). As these familial relationships evolve, we witness Bailey build imaginary worlds to cope.
Arnold’s writing is sensitive while pointed. Her direction is contemporary and daring but occasionally clunky. She captures the chaos of Bailey’s world through intimate, handheld camerawork, a technique used in her previous films. The pacing is slow and reflective that builds to an eventual disturbing crescendo. It permits viewers to fully immerse themselves in Bailey’s journey.
Robbie Ryan’s cinematography is raw yet poetic. It heightens the emotion of the story while giving it a dreamlike quality. Joe Bini’s editing effectively depicts the transition between reality and fantasy, subsequently complementing Arnold’s use of magical realism, where dreams and reality are almost interchangeable.
In her film debut, newcomer Adams shines as Bailey. She offers a multifaceted and powerful performance. Keoghan brings a gritty vulnerability to Bug. His portrayal is unpredictable yet heart-warming, showing a young father trapped between love and flux. The chemistry between Adams and Keoghan is compelling. It drives the heart of the film.
Rogowski’s performance as Bird is solid despite Arnold’s script, which surprisingly steers away from significant development with the character. Instead, Rogowski focuses on capturing the nuances of Bird’s birdlike appearance and movements, which he does well.
The film’s soundtrack is understated yet effective. Scored by British electronic artist Burial, it mixes contemporary (Fontaines D.C) with older school (Coldplay) to reflect Bailey’s emotional journey. The overall sound design plays into the film’s slow pace. The subtle soundscapes and the quiet hum of daily life act like a potent backdrop to Bailey’s thoughts.
Bird is a haunting yet hopeful film that portrays the fragility and complexity of adolescence. It offers a realistic, heartfelt, and deeply personal exploration of youth, identity, and the intricacy of human connections. This film will linger with you long after the credits roll.
Movie Review By Anita Kertes
