Bird review: Coming-of-age film races between gritty realism and magical fabulism

Chaotic but caring, Bug is not much more than twice the age of his son, and his attentions are mostly fixed on his upcoming wedding to Kayleigh (Frankie Box), his girlfriend of three months, much to Bailey’s annoyance.

Although only on the cusp of adolescence, Bailey has had to grow up fast. She seeks solace in filming her surroundings with her camera, enjoying any scrap of nature she can find. Then she meets Bird (Franz Rogowski), who is strange in many ways, from his German accent to his kilt and eccentric behaviour.

He tells Bailey that he’s looking for his parents and she determines to help him, which brings her back into the orbit of her mum Peyton (Jasmine Jobson) and her other siblings. The encounter only serves to underline Bailey’s alienation from her family, thanks to Peyton’s new, abusive boyfriend Skate (James Nelson-Joyce).

Combining hard-knock themes that will be familiar to anybody who has seen Arnold’s previous films, particularly Fish Tank, with an altogether more fantastical element, Bird sees the director really spreading her wings.

Bailey’s is a wild existence, and Arnold effectively explores the point at which human nature and animal instinct meet. This is particularly prevalent in the character of Bird, whose arrival introduces a fairy tale feel to the narrative.

Arnold balances the mood with care, not shying away from the grimmer aspects of Bailey’s life, including the danger posed by Skate.

In a track that crops up more than once, the Irish post-punk band Fontaines DC repeat the refrain: "Is it too real for ya?" It feels like a challenge thrown out by Arnold, too, as she amps up both the harsh realities of Bailey’s world and the elation that comes from the simple act of speeding along on an electric scooter with her dad.

In the lead, first-time actor Adams more than matches the more established members of the cast. She has plenty of screen presence and brings an authentic realism to the character.

Keoghan (Saltburn) appears to be having the most fun he’s had on film for a while. Bug’s obsession with a "drug toad", which he tries to encourage to produce hallucinogenic slime, provides a strong vein of humour through the film, offsetting some of its violent moments.

In comparison, Rogowski’s performance is more out of kilter, but it suits the ambiguities of a character who is deliberately dancing on the edge of reality.

A tale about metamorphosis — from domestic to wild, from child to adult, from the real to the fantastical — Bird represents a welcome shift in Arnold’s career away from pure neo-realism to more complex forms of storytelling. For all its melancholy, the film is carried on an affecting updraft of hopefulness.

Bird will be in UK Cinemas from 8th November.

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