BIRDEATER

Australia, 2023, 113 minutes, Colour.

Mackenzie Fearnley, Shabana Azeez, Ben Hunter, Jack Bannister, Clementine Anderson, Alfie Gledhill, Holly Wilson, Carolyn McQuade.

Directed by Jack Clark, Jim Weir.

Birdeater is a first feature film by Jack Clark and Jim Weir, story by Clark, the writing the screenplay together and directing together. The film has received quite some acclaim from festivals, in the United States, Best Narrative feature at the Sydney film Festival, 2023.

There is a clue early in the film for audiences who notice posters on walls. The poster is for the 1971 film, Wake in Fright, set in Broken Hill, story of aggressive men, bonding, drinking, kangaroo hunts… And, the question of many about the title – and the suggestion of birds attacking birds, predators.

This is a story of men and their treatment of women. Three of the central male characters were at school together, aspects of privilege in that background. The main focus is on Louis (Mackenzie Fearnley) seen initially at the beach gazing at a young woman, Irene (Shabana Azeez). Then we see them together, living together, her suffering from anxiety, on medication, he solicitous about her, their love for each other. And he proposes a Bucks’ party, planning with his friend Murph to officiate at a wedding ceremony during the party. He invites Irene to come, she at first reluctant, consenting.

The main part of the film focuses on the party itself and the behaviour of each character. It is interesting to note that in the many articles and reviews about this film, everyone uses the word “toxicity”, “masculine toxicity”. The clue from Wake in Fright is significant.

Charley is another friend of Louis from school days. He comes with his partner, Grace, both of them with a Christian perspective. There is an unexpected guest, Sam, a friend of Irene, not quite fitting into the group but participating in the party.

But the most significant guest is Dylan (Ben Hunter), friend from school, living a wild kind of life, recently travelling in Mexico. He is macho, aggressive, expectations of the party, surprised at the women being there, putting pressure on Louis, forcing him to drink, making a speech which starts with praise and then degenerates into an attack, forcing them to play a game, Paranoia, which targets Louis.

There is drinking, there are drugs, and move into strange memories of the past, and some hallucinatory experience, especially for Louis. And, out in the bush, there is a stripper with her chaperone, taunting the men – especially Charley and the repercussions for him.

Sequences are quite vivid but it is over to the audience to piece them all together, the chronology, the reality and the fantasy, evaluate how the men treat the women, Louis’ treatment of Irene, the relationship between Charley and Grace, the dominance of the men, their presumptions, expressions of love but also behaviour of control, psychological violence.

Birdeater is meant to be provocative and it is, meant to be uncomfortable a challenge for the audience to test its own attitudes, especially about current behaviour and masculinity and power.

1. The title, suggestion of birds of prey? Predators?
2. The Australian setting, universal themes? The city, the beach, apartments, countryside, the river the fairy, the setting for the party? The musical score?
3. Comments that the film attacks “masculine toxicity”? The men, their age, backgrounds, education, styles? Attitude towards women? Exercises of power? The Bucks’ party, behaviour, drinking, interactions, secrets, revelations?
4. The different time periods, the opening with Louis and his seeing Irene? The relationship, time together? The plan for the wedding? The party, the invitations? The behaviour at the party, drugs, hallucinations, memories, the audience putting the pieces together?
5. Louis and Irene, her being British, the Visa issue, marriage? Louis, his life, the scar on the side of his face (and the later visuals of his being run down)? The attraction to Irene, the living together, her anxiety, medication, the love, his going out, her being sedated, his being with his friends – and the Betty Boop cartoon? The plan for the party, inviting Irene, asking Grace to come to support Irene?
6. Irene, her personality, relationship with Louis, her past, British, her anxiety, medication? Wary about the party, travelling with Louis?
7. Charlie and Grace, together, Christian background, Grace and their attitude to the party, knowing everyone, interactions with them, support of Irene? The issue of drugs? Charlie and his friendship with Louis, from school days, his behaviour at the party?
8. Murph, friendship with Louis, his wedding licence, the plan for the marriage? His behaviour at the party?
9. Dylan, on the road, the breakdown, his appearance, manner, the past in school, his travels to Mexico, a wanderer, the relationship with Louis, at the party, wanting to force the beer on Louis, his behaviour, a touch feral, his speech the party, benign start, aggressive ending, playing the Paranoia game, tossing the coin, cheating, questions and answers? Drinking?
10. Sam, knowing Irene, the relationship between them, an outsider, participation in the party?
11. The atmosphere and the drinking, the drugs, the driving, going out to the countryside, the stripper and her caravan and protector, the taunts, the effect on Charlie, becoming him? His protesting that he had been a virgin, the issue of rape, Dylan’s sister? His shame, driving away with Grace, confessing, the beginning again?
12. Dylan, in the countryside, the stripper, the return, talking with Murph, Murph and his behaviour during the party, the drugs, sexuality? Lift from Dylan, Dylan abandoning him?
13. The morning after, Louise experiences during the night, memories, hallucinations, memories of meeting with Irene, the accusations she was drunk, targeting her? The drive, his being knocked down, his injuries? The consequences for his relationship with Irene?
14. The driving away, her sleeping, the issue of the medication, his putting it in the bottle of water, the ferry, his going to the toilet, the keys in the car, the ferry arriving – and the film ending? What might happen?