H Is for Hawk

Based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Helen Macdonald, H Is for Hawk is a delicately rendered study of the impact of loss. Claire Foy portrays Helen, a research fellow at Cambridge University, who learns of the sudden death of her father (Brendan Gleeson). Devastated by his passing and desperate to fill the gaping hole his absence has left, she purchases and trains a goshawk named Mabel, pouring all of her time into caring for the bird of prey, ultimately to the detriment of her own care.

Due to the effortless chemistry between Foy and Gleeson, only a few short scenes are needed for the audience to see the extent of the closeness between Helen and her father, and to understand how the magnitude of that bond has naturally left a gaping hole in its wake. We see that Helen earnestly believes that connecting with this animal will help her to reconnect with herself and the world. But it is merely a distraction from the pain of the loss, and by fixating on Mabel and not directly addressing or reckoning with her grief, we see how it plunges her further into herself. Foy is utterly convincing in her interpretation of the character. From Helen’s distracted expressions and her anxious movements, to her chain-smoking and evasive dismissal when family and friends question how she is feeling, Foy successfully paints a physical manifestation of grief. In addition, alongside having to depict how loss can trigger a fragmentation of self, Foy must also handle an actual goshawk, and there is a delightful element of realism to Foy’s scenes with the bird. The fear, nerves and joy she experiences during her interactions with Mabel are believable because they are undoubtedly authentic.

By its careful consideration of what is said and what is not said, the screenplay, co-written by director Philippa Lowthorpe and Emma Donoghue, offers a thoughtful insight into the emerging way that depression develops. However, the pacing of the feature is slightly too slow and lacks the narrative substance to justify the runtime. Additionally, Helen’s relationship with the goshawk is frustratingly opaque, and it remains unclear what role the bird played in helping or hurting her mental health. Nonetheless, championed by a brilliant performance by its lead actress, H Is for Hawk is a moving adaptation.

Sunny Morgan

H Is for Hawk does not have a release date yet.

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