Andrea Arnold’s return to fiction with Bird is truly enchanting. I have to admit, I go for a bit of magical surrealism and I’m already pretty invested, but Bird goes far beyond just fitting into that category. It's essentially a story about growing up, focusing on Bailey, played by Nykiya Adams in what has to be called an incredible performance. And it's not just my enthusiasm—Adams has already won five awards for…

Bird presents itself as an unvarnished depiction that, even with some problems in its rhythm and the unusual combination of fantastical elements and real life, provides a profoundly relatable encounter, made all the more impactful by Nykiya Adams’ remarkably authentic acting. Andrea Arnold guides her own story with a close-up, empathetic perspective on the difficulties and internal battles faced by a young woman u…

This film tells the story of twelve-year-old Bailey (Nykiya Adams), who resides in a cramped apartment with her father, Bug (Barry Keoghan), brother Hunter (Jason Buda), and soon-to-be stepmother Kayleigh (Frankie Box). The upcoming wedding and a particularly bright pink cat costume create friction between Bailey and her dad, leading her to entertain herself in the Kent countryside. It’s there she meets Bird (Franz R…