Andrea Arnold hasn’t been as prolific a filmmaker as others, but when she makes a film it has a lot of emotional heft to it. Fish Tank, American Honey, and now Bird are three movies quite a few years apart from each other.  Bird like the other is well written and develops its characters quite nicely. Like American Honey, you can’t help, but care about them. You can’t help but come away with a good feeling at the end of this film.

Bailey (Nykiya Adams) is a twelve-year-old girl living with her single father Bug (Barry Keoghan), because he’s covered in insect and arachnid tattoos, and her brother Hunter (Jason Buda) in Kent, England. Who has a girlfriend  Boone. While out following her brother and his crew Adams’ character inadvertently sleeps overnight in a field.  When she wakes up a few gusts of wind happen and she notices a man in the distance coming towards her. The man introduces himself as Bird (Franz Ragowski, Savages) She helps him with some directions, but that’s not all the pair get up to. They end up striking up a friendship. 

Arnold is able to do a great job with character development in her films. Even though these are characters the viewers watching this movie are recently introduced to they have a lot of depth to them. Specifically the Adams character. This is a coming-of-age tale in a lot of ways. Adams has to learn about herself while also trying to help her new friend and her family. She is a fantastic young actress and I was drawn to her every word and move in the movie. She’s going to be an actress and I look forward to seeing her grow in the future.

There are multiple subplots in this film and each of them held a genuine interest for me. All the supporting characters such as Adams, mother Payton (Jasmine Jobson), Keoghan, Rogowski, and others mean something to the overall plot of the movie, but their separate stories mean something as well. I loved all the subplots. They weren’t wasted. The overall story was my favorite in the end, but I cared a lot for the others within the main story. That’s good writing

Barry Keoghan is an actor who made a name for himself doing a lot of roles in indie films or Althouse movies like this one. He’s worked with Christopher Nolan, Emerald Fennell, and Martin McDonagh just to name a few.  He’s played some crazy characters in the past, but the father he played in this film is one of the wildest of them all. He’s trying to use a toad for its hallucinogenic properties to make his drugs better. He gets high and listens to music, but in the end, he cares deeply for his children and his fiance Kayleigh (Frankie Box) He’s starting to show some range in all the characters he’s been playing in recent years. A cameo in The Batman may be a clue to a future wild and crazy guy he could be playing. I for one can’t wait for that.

Franz Ragowski was in a film called Savages last year opposite Ben Wishaw where they played lovers. He wasn’t a very nice person in that movie and didn’t come away liking him as an actor much in that role. Here is the exact opposite. He’s a stranger yes, but as the film progresses we the audience and the main character get to know him more and what he truly is. It’s an amazing turn for Ragowski and gives me more hope for future roles he will choose. I adored him in this role and I think everyone who watches it will as much as I do.

Bird is a mixed bag but in a good way. It’s a coming-of-age story about this young girl discovering herself. It’s a story about a single father and one about a single mother as well. The real story is about a burgeoning friendship between two people who need each other. The acting by the entire cast is fantastic with Adsms, Keoghan, and Ragowski as the standouts. They are all amazing.  The writing and direction by Arnold are the reason to see this film though. She is an incredible writer/director. I’m shocked some of the big studios haven’t scooped her up yet. In the meantime, this movie is a must-watch.

4 ½ stars

Dan Skip Allen