After taking an eight-year break from helming feature films, English filmmaker Andrea Arnold returns with Bird, a fantastical coming-of-age drama that separates itself from her previous outings while also staying true to what makes her style so unique. Everyone’s coming-of-age journey is different, and while Arnold’s signature grit is present, she balances it out with a fairytale-like story. Bird is one of the decade’s finest coming-of-age films and another remarkable outing from an auteur. 

Set in Kent, 12-year-old Bailey (Nykiya Adams) goes about her day-to-day routine, looking after herself and attempting to find enjoyment in being a child. She has a beyond-her-years quality, yet her single father Bug (Barry Keoghan) acts as childish as one would imagine. Putting more love into his tattoos and his upcoming wedding to his flame of three months, our father-daughter duo have a habit of butting heads, sprinkled with loving jabs towards one another. And while Bug may appear to be a flawed, uncaring parental figure, his environment feels more welcoming compared to Bailey’s mother Peyton (Jasmine Jobson), who lives with her abusive boyfriend above a drug den. 

As a coming-of-age story, Bird flies into familiar territories, showcasing a rigorous upbringing, the questioning of one’s identity, and the discovery of what can change your life for the better (or, in some cases, the worst). While Bailey continues her journey of sorts, she encounters a man called Bird (Franz Rogowski), whose peculiar quietness attracts the attention of our protagonist and they befriend one another. Arnold balances fantastical tones within the coming-of-age, as we learn that Bird is more than we believe.

There have been hundreds of coming-of-age films over the years that have stayed true to what the genre is – something grounded in reality. The decision to incorporate fantastical elements in Bird would’ve landed differently, had it not felt earned. It was a welcoming twist to present these tones in an, otherwise, by-the-numbers coming-of-age film. Reflecting back on the film, if Bird was absent, so would have the fantastical elements. Without them, the film would have felt emotionally lacking, as these elements heighten the rawness of the story and the characters. 

Rogowski’s performance will likely leave a lingering impression on the audience once the film concludes. His character appears haunting from a distance, but when he comes closer to Bailey, a tender aura is present and he is difficult to hate. The blossoming friendship between the two is emotionally captivating; two lost souls that feel found when they are together. Arnold places ambiguity in Bird’s characterization, leaving the audience guessing as to whether he is real or a figment of Bailey’s imagination.

While Rogowski and, of course, Keoghan deliver incredible turns, the film’s shoulders lie on the true star of the show: Adams. Talented young performers whose work feels natural and not over-rehearsed are difficult to come across. Adams takes this role in stride and immerses you into Bailey’s character with such ease, acting on par with her more experienced co-stars. She conveys much with her facial expressions and perfectly captures the awe, thrills, and fear that engulfs one’s adolescence. It is one of the finest debut performances in recent memory.

Bird is a beautiful film that will garner a divisive response. The tonal shifts from family drama to fantastical adventure may jar some viewers, yet what Arnold presents on screen is riveting from start to finish. She wanted to go against the grain and delve into something more bold with her latest outing, which deserves to be celebrated. One of the most exciting voices in the business right now, Arnold delivers a fine outing to a catalog of refreshing work.

Review Courtesy of Bryan Sudfield

Feature Image Credit to MUBI via IMDb