BIRD

UK, 2024, 119 minutes, Colour.

Nykiya Adams, Franz Rogowski, Barry Keoghan, Jason Buda, Jasmine Jobson, Frankie Box, James Nelson-Joyce.

Directed by Andrea Arnold.

A British slice of life. This time in south-east England, Kent, the area where director, Andrea Arnold, grew up. In fact, Andrea Arnold’s first film is, in the 2000 is, work British slices of life. However, she also directed a version of Emily Brunty’s Weathering Heights and also went to the United States American and to direct episodes of television series, like Big Little Lies.

However, here she is at home again. This part of Kent is not an area for easy living, especially for the young teens, trying to make their way, and dealing with parents who are only 14 years older than they are. They have to be tough, have to manage, had to learn by their own mistakes but especially what they see in their parents.

This is the story of Bailey, 12 years old, West Indian ancestry, local English ancestry, a bravura and strong performance from Niliya Adams, we first see her with her phone, photographing birds, this would and grace of birds, and we are alerted that this will be a theme, both realistic and symbolic, as the film progresses. Then she is picked up by her father, and together, on the scooter, they speed and swoop through the town, landing at home where her father, Bug, Barry Keegan in another quite different performance, and announces that he will be getting married to his girlfriend at the weekend. Bailey is not impressed.

Also at home is her half brother, Hunter, Jason Buda, 14, involved with a local gang who terrorise locals with their camera, photographing stuff that they can blackmail their victims with. And Hunter wants to

 run away to Scotland with his 14-year-old girlfriend, Moon. One of the symbolic bird sequences has Bailey trying to deliver Hunter’s letter to Moon the bird swoops, snatches the letter in its beak and delivers it. Touches of “magic realism” throughout the film.

But we discover that the Burden of the title is actually Laura, played by François rib Gorski, encountering Bailey, strange clothes, but on a quest to find his birth mother.

Which turns the narrative into a search, a quest, Bailey taking on Bird, a joyful excursion to the seaside with the half brother and sisters who live with her birth mother, discovering Birds father and some explanation if not joy.

There is some happiness in this family’s life, Bogeyman Bailey bringing Hunter home from his forlorn search for Moon, the wedding celebration is an exuberant dancing, and a visit from Bird, the audience seeing him from Bailey’s viewpoint, covered in feathers, protecting bird, a flyaway bird.

Bailey is only 12. And all her life is before her. We might wonder how Andrea Arnold saw Bailey’s future.

1. The title? The character, Bird? Bailey and her photographing birds? The range of birds, real and symbolic throughout the film? The real/symbolic bird and carrying Hunters message?
2. The Kent setting, the town, houses, narrow streets, the coast, the surrounding countryside? The travel to the sea, the water, the sand, the day of the Sea? The musical score, the wide range of songs, their insertion into the action, the lyrics?
3. The slice of social realism? Families living in Kent, their backgrounds, early relationships, pregnancies and births, homes, work, scams? The Dir is interested in these characters, their backgrounds, sympathy?
4. The central focus on Bailey, her age, strength of character, her hair and later getting it cut, riding on the scooter, riding with Bug, Bug as her father, living with him, with Hunter? Her mother, the other relationship, her children? The influence of these situations on Bailey and her approach to life?
5. Bug, father at 14, his partner and her new partner and family, Bailey and Hunter living with him, his role as a father? His fiancee, the announcement, the planning for the wedding? The scooter ride, the total and the phosphorescence, planning to sell it to finance the wedding? At home, his dancing, gyrations? The buildup to the wedding? His care for Bailey, her presence, her absences?
6. The appearance of Bird, sudden, his manner, look, closing? The meetings with Bailey, her wariness, bonding with him, his stories, searching his mother, appearing and reappearing? Travelling with Bailey, the day at the beach? With the other children, meeting her mother, getting information, the travel to the house, the man unwilling to speak, coming down to them, the explanation of Birds background? Finding some answers, his disappointment? His appearance of the wedding, the touches of magic realism, Bailey seeing him as a bird with feathers, protective? The final meeting, the departure, realistic, and the feathers?
7. Hunter, his gang, the videos, trapping victims, hoodlums? His relationship with Moon, wanting to run away, getting Bailey to deliver the message, Bailey at the door, the vigilant bird, taking in delivering the message? Hunter leaving home, telling Bailey, going to the railway station, her telling Bug, the going to the station, bringing him home?
8. Bailey visiting her mother, taking the children to the beach, the joy of the family? Her mother’s boyfriend, his violence, outbursts, confrontation with Bailey?
9. The background of characters, their life and style, issues of relationships, commitments, values, survival?