Have you ever been a brat? Have you ever screamed in your bedroom about how unfair life is? Have you ever realized the people around you are just that: people? Then you will love Catherine Called Birdy, the second Lena Dunham film of the year and one of the best of 2022. Based on the novel by Karen Cushman, Birdy is a clear labor of love from the director, feeling like the movie we’d all make of our favorite childhood book.
Catherine, aka Little Bird, aka Birdy (Bella Ramsey) is a normal girl living in 13th-century England in a castle. Her father Lord Rollo (Andrew Scott, a genius) may have a bit of debt to deal with while his wife Lady Aislinn (Billie Piper, radiant) is dealing with another difficult pregnancy. Birdy spends her days generally lolling about with her friends, getting dirty, and disobeying her lady-in-waiting Morwenna (Lesley Sharp). Of course, the halcyon days of youth cannot continue forever. To keep from losing the castle, Lord Rollo has plans to marry off Birdy to any wealthy suitor who will take her. Birdy, who has just had her first period and has been trying to hide it, understands this as an act of war. Naturally, she must scare off these men who wish to take her away from everything she knows.
Birdy feels like Harriet the Spy for a new era. This is an extremely successful movie for kids about the frustrations of adolescence, one that can be a bit more explicit than those of the ’90s. Birdy’s friend Perkin (Michael Woolfitt) can actually be gay; Lady Aislinn can mourn her many miscarriages; Morwenna can lust after a man known as the Golden Tiger (Ralph Ineson). Kids deserve to see all of this! They also deserve to see Birdy’s hunky uncle George (Joe Alwyn), giving yet another great supporting performance after his turns in The Favourite and The Souvenir Part II. He’s a good one! Like Harriet before her, Birdy can be shockingly nasty – perhaps not that shocking for anyone who has been or has meet a teen girl.
Mild spoilers, but I promise this is important. On the podcast Little Gold Men, Dunham talked about changing the ending of the novel. She wasn’t ready for Birdy to get married, despite it being the realistic fate for a medieval teenager. She felt it was braver to create a joyful ending, one that brought all the characters together to help their little bird. And she was right! There is now a sweet melancholy to the climax, but softened by the love and joy of everyone surrounding Birdy. Catherine Called Birdy is a triumph, one that all young girls should watch and instantly fall in love with.
Catherine Called Birdy
2022
Dir. Lena Dunham
108 min.
Opens Friday, 9/23 @ Kendall Square Cinema
Also streaming on Amazon Prime
