Bird
Written and Directed by Andrea Arnold
Starring Nykiya Adams, Franz Rogowski, Jason Buda, and Barry Keoghan
Rated R
Runtime: 1 hour, 59 minutes
In theaters November 8

by Megan Bailey, Staff Writer

I’ve seen and loved a lot of coming-of-age stories, and Bird is unlike any other. It follows Bailey (Nykiya Adams), a teen in Kent, as she navigates growing up and trying to fit in. Directed by Andrea Arnold (American Honey), this film is described as a “fable about marginalized life in the fringes of contemporary society.” The word “fable” fits perfectly, as Bird feels both naturalistic and magical. 

Bailey is dealing with a lot. She’s twelve, and yet, she feels mature beyond her years, especially compared to some of the other characters we meet. She’s squatting in an apartment building with some of her family members. Her dad, Bug (Barry Keoghan), spends the majority of the movie either stressing about his upcoming wedding to Kailey (Frankie Box), who he’s been dating for three months, or trying to get a toad (called “the Drug Toad”) to emit its hallucinogenic slime (just go with it). Her older brother, Hunter (Jason Buda), is part of a gang of teenage boys that roughs up guys who are known to abuse women and girls.

When Bailey visits her mom, Peyton (Jasmine Jobson), we see how sweet and loving Bailey is with her younger siblings. While she’s a caretaker for her parents and her older brother, she’s careful with the younger kids, especially when it comes to trying to shield them from Peyton’s boyfriend, Skate (James Nelson-Joyce), who is a real piece of work. Amid this chaos, Bailey meets Bird (Franz Rogowski) in a field one day, and though she initially refuses to help Bird find his father, her caretaker tendencies quickly come rearing back.

There’s a lot to appreciate in the visual language of Bird. Naturally, birds are featured from the first scene. And the obvious difference when Bailey is out in the fields versus the much busier, more run-down buildings gives us an understanding of where she feels at home. There are some special effects that aren’t perfect, but work well enough for what Arnold’s trying to do, and the ending is incredibly effective in helping us see how Bailey has grown over the course of the film.

As a fantastical, yet realistic take on teenage life, Bird works well. I’m not sure the story fully resolves, especially where Bailey’s relationship with her family is concerned, but her journey serves as an empathetic view of a teenager growing up in this specific part of the world. She’s strong, opinionated, and not afraid to stand up for the people she cares for. Her strength of character propels her throughout the film. Nykiya Adams is sensational in this role. I can’t wait to see what she does after this.

Franz is a delight as Bird. While very different from his work in Passages, he’s every bit as interesting to watch in this. He’s mysterious, protective, inquisitive, and charming all at once. The bond between Bird and Bailey is totally believable. Likewise, by the end of the film, Jason Buda as Hunter snuck up on me and became a standout. I’m sure that other critics will single out Barry Keoghan’s performance in this, and he is great. But it’s definitely the showiest of the bunch, and I felt the rest of the cast had more interesting performances on offer. Though the mention of “Murder on the Dancefloor” was very funny. (Saltburn is good!)

I saw this film as part of NewFest, New York’s LGBTQIA+ film festival, which sent me in with some preconceived notions about queer content in it. And I do think there’s a throughline of gender identity, feeling like an outsider, and so forth. Early in the film, Bailey refuses to try on the (frankly, hideous) jumpsuit her father’s bride-to-be asks her to wear as a bridesmaid. And in defiance over the wedding as a whole, Bailey cuts her hair super short. Bailey is clearly trying to express herself authentically.

And then Bailey meets Bird, a mysterious stranger, who wears skirts and behaves like a different type of creature. Bird is a mystery, trying to find his father after being away for decades. In helping Bird, Bailey also discovers things about herself. Though the end of the film doesn’t wrap up Bailey’s gender identity in any final way, it’s clear to me that as a teenager, she’s at least exploring beyond the gender norms for a twelve-year-old girl.

Andrea Arnold’s Bird is one of a kind, and it’s worth seeing in theaters for the visual storytelling and captivating performances. Though the story doesn’t fully come together to satisfy everything the film takes on, enough clues are left for us to grasp what happens beyond its final scene. This is a film that I can’t wait to talk about when more people get the opportunity to see it.