Catherine Called Birdy (2022)

By: Mike Ward on Thursday, September 22

PG-13 Running Time: 108 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

  • Bella Ramsey, in a breakout performance, soars with Lena Dunham’s screenplay and the melodramatic flourishes on display throughout the film.

  • Fans of the 1994 award-winning YA novel will find a fairly familiar structure, though Dunham’s adaptation skews far more comedic in tone, than in a darker sensibility found within the source material.

  • With a blending of contemporary music and themes which exist in today’s society, Dunham brings a medieval-themed story into modern times to broaden the potential audience for a really entertaining film.

NO

  • May play too cute and modern for some who are seeking something more in tune with the time period.

  • At times, Catherine Called Birdy sets up scenes to deliver a wicked punchline or observation at the expense of meaningful story advancement. The film is strong enough to withstand these moments, but may not be everyone’s cup of tea.

  • Some have accused Dunham of appropriating the Karen Cushman novel into a vessel for her to pontificate her own agenda. I mean, she did do the adaptation, so…I guess she can adapt it however she wants?


OUR REVIEW

Snappy and amusing, Catherine Called Birdy is writer/director Lena Dunham’s take on a 14-year-old girl’s coming-of-age in 13th century England. Adapted from Karen Cushman’s award-winning 1994 novel of the same name, the film veers from the book’s darker tone into something more aligned with comedy and melodrama. The film also relies on a strong and notable breakout lead performance from Bella Ramsey (“Game of Thrones”).

Dunham’s medieval/young adult-themed film lives in the mind of Birdy (Ramsey), who brandishes a rapier wit and cynical take on the traditions and expectations increasingly surrounding her. Upon turning 14, and as her body changes her into becoming “a woman,” suitors start to come-a-calling to marry her. These offers, these encouragements, come at the urging of her father, Lord Rollo (Andrew Scott). 

We learn much of Birdy’s take on the world through voiceover, as she narrates from a journal she is keeping. And as absurd as her world may seem to her, she is also caught in the wash of a series of changes happening around her that she cannot control. Her parents are expecting a new baby, which draws her closer to mother Lady Aislinn (Billie Piper), but just as distant from her father, eager it seems to sell her to the highest bidder. Birdy soon sees her favorite Uncle (Joe Alwyn) forced to marry an eccentric, much older businesswoman (Sophie Okonedo). Her brother Robert (Dean-Charles Chapman) becomes smitten for Birdy’s best friend, Aelis (Isis Hainsworth). 

In the absence of control, Birdy is essentially careening from one event to the next and struggling to find her place. In a terrific performance, Ramsey very quickly becomes a force throughout the film, settling into the role and understanding the journey Dunham has laid out for her. The young actor captures the motivations and emotions connected to her clumsy maturity in shifting from youthful girl to young adult. At one point, Birdy describes herself as seen as little more than “a shiny gold coin,” which her father would likely accept as payment.

Birdy’s rebellious spirit, her effortless defiance against things she does not want and which make no sense, find her wise beyond her years. Though Dunham’s film deals with serious themes and tones steeped in modernity, Dunham loves playing in this time period. The overall youthful vibe to the film adds an enthusiastic boost to the story, matching Birdy’s realization to wanting something better and more enlightening for her future.

While Dunham’s screenplay adds in a fair amount of constraints and “rules” which exist in this world, the use of modern, contemporary music throughout the film (songs ranging from Elastica to Rod Stewart to Alicia Keys are present here) blurs the present to the past, and underscores the parallels between Birdy’s world and our own.

The costuming and set design feels authentic and lulls us into the time period. As new characters are introduced, comedic summaries of name, title, and character traits are listed on screen. The gimmick feels as if Birdy herself is tossing in a little nod-and-wink to the viewer.

Dunham reminds us, with Catherine Called Birdy, she can really be an engaging storyteller. Her pointed commentary may remain present here, albeit in a slightly subdued manner. Birdy, however, is surrounded by a wide array of female characters who each give her the strength to rise above challenges and grow into finding a most distinctive, profound and powerful voice.

Elements of the film are slight and, at times, the film feels more inclined to steer towards punchlines and one-liners than advance the story with each successive scene. However, in the end, as an unlikely source steps up for Birdy’s protection when she needs it the most, Catherine Called Birdy plants its flag for anyone who learns that what makes them unique is what makes them special. Birdy learns she will be okay, she has purpose, and deserve the opportunity to carve out a place in the world. And that truly is a message that resonates, whether it is 1290 or 2022.

CAST & CREW

Starring: Bella Ramsey, Billie Piper, Andrew Scott, Lesley Sharp, Joe Alwyn, Sophie Okonedo, Paul Kaye, Dean-Charles Chapman, Isis Hainsworth, Archie Renaux, Michael Woolfitt, David Bradley, Mimi Ndiweni, Ralph Ineson, Rita Bernard-Shaw

Director: Lena Dunham
Written by: Lena Dunham
Adapted from the novel “Catherine, Called Birdy” by Karen Cushman
Release Date: September 23, 2022
Amazon Studios