The coming-of-age film “Bird” captures the drama of having to grow up too early. [TIFF] – Elements of madness

One could describe it as a film that lives in the same spiritual world as that of Daina Oniunas-Pusić Tuesday (2023), Andrea Arnolds Birdsimilar in the vibes and tonal elements of storytelling, focuses on growing up and growing up faster than necessary or expected. While Andrea Arnold doesn’t usually do that well for me when it comes to feature films, this story really comes to life for me personally and gives the narrative a sense of necessity thanks to the brilliant breakout performance from Nykiya Adams.

Birdthe feature film, focuses on Bailey (Nykiya Adams), who lives with her brother Hunter (Jason Buda) and father Bug (Barry Keoghan) as her mother’s home is no longer a safe place for her, but her siblings are still there life. Surprisingly, while Bug certainly isn’t father of the year, the house is certainly a safer place. Bug is currently living his life and getting married (who knows when) and expects and demands Bailey’s presence and wants her to dress up for the occasion. While Bailey has absolutely no interest in dressing for the festivities or even wanting to attend the ceremony because she wants to live her life, be her own person, and be the center of her father’s attention, she decides to be a rebel and a bit of chaos begins to unravel. She befriends some local troublemakers in order to improve her siblings’ lives by getting rid of her mother’s latest flame, who has proven to be more than just problematic, but Bailey also gets into the trouble they avoid should. However, not every decision Bailey makes is a bad one. She meets Bird (Franz Rogowski), a quirky guy who befriends Bailey and makes sure she doesn’t end up in situations that she can’t escape from or that get her into insoluble trouble. In the end, the two develop a unique and unexpected friendship that runs throughout the film, blurring the boundaries of possible reality and coping mechanisms in the whimsical, heartbreaking, grounded story that Arnold presents to audiences Bird.

Nykiya Adams as Bailey in BIRD. Photo credit: Atsushi Nishijima. Photo courtesy of MUBI.

Andrea Arnold usually enjoys making films that focus on the American dream (American honey) or overcoming the difficulties of a twelve-year-old, growing up and being self-sufficient, protecting his siblings and, to a certain extent, himself (Bird). While both situations can be relatable to many people, they are certainly films that hit you in the soul and heart or that miss the mark entirely; When it comes to stories that focus on these elements, there never seems to be a middle ground. Personal, American honey (2016) completely missed the mark for me, but Bird That affected me so much in retrospect. As I sit and digest the film, it still lingers in my soul. There is something powerful that must manifest itself in the audience after the credits roll in order for the film to have and sustain the impact it has on the audience, but it creates that atmosphere effortlessly for the audience.

Barry Keoghan as Bug in BIRD. Photo courtesy of MUBI.

While Arnold’s films may not be for everyone, there’s no denying that her actors go all out and deliver performances that can only be described as brilliant, genuine and heartfelt. While Barry Keoghan (Salt burn; The Banshees of Inisherin) is possibly the biggest and most well-known name in BirdHe plays the distant and aloof father brilliantly, but is far from a star. The entire film revolves around Nykiya Adams and Franz Rogowski (A hidden life), while the former did not have a published credit prior to her appearance in Bird. People talk all the time about making stars and seeing someone leave their mark on a project that will be talked about for a long time. Adams does this; Her performance feels so incredibly sincere and heartfelt that it’s hard not to root for Bailey and hope that she finds what she’s looking for and achieves her dreams. Franz Rogowski creates a perfect bridge between the adult figure and the child figure. It’s safe to assume that almost everyone has gone through something at some point in their life that forced them to grow up faster than they wanted to; Bird captures these moments perfectly.

Franz Rogowski as a bird in BIRD. Photo credit: Atsushi Nishijima. Photo courtesy of MUBI.

Bird is simple but effective because Andrea Arnold takes care of the direction and the script, which is brilliantly implemented by Nykiya Adams, Franz Rogowski and Barry Keoghan. Everyone brings more than 200% to their roles, making one of the warmest and most endearing films of the year. Bird is a spiritual journey that is a favorite of a film that will either stay with audiences forever or will not be able to connect with audiences at all; There may not be a middle ground, but for the books it is definitely one.

Screening during the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
In US theaters on November 8, 2024.

For more information, visit the official Toronto International Film Festival 2024 Bird Website.

Final result: 4 out of 5.

Categories: In the cinema, Reviews

Tags: Access Entertainment, Andrea Arnold, Barry Keoghan, BBC Film, BFI, Bird, Drama, English, Film Festival, FirstGen Content, foreign film, France, Franz Rogowski, Germany, House Productions, James Nelson-Joyce, MUBI, Nykiya Adams, Pinky Promise, Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival 2024, United Kingdom, United States of America