Catherine, Called Birdy
Year: 2022
Director: Lena Dunham
Starring: Billie Piper, Bella Ramsey & Andrew Scott
Runtime: 108 mins
BBFC: 12
Published: 31/01/23
Director: Lena Dunham
Starring: Billie Piper, Bella Ramsey & Andrew Scott
Runtime: 108 mins
BBFC: 12
Published: 31/01/23
There’s a few films from 2022 that I missed out on just because I didn’t have time, and Catherine Called Birdy is one of those films. It was getting rave reviews from critics when it released in September, and its all-star cast appeared to be a formula for success. A medieval coming of age comedy with a modern twist, it seemed like a modern day A Knights Tale. So why do I feel so indifferent to it now that I’ve actually seen it?
Lincolnshire in the thirteenth century is a dull place to be, and for fourteen-year-old Catherine (Bella Ramsey), who goes by the nickname of Birdy, things have just gotten complicated. She has started menstruating, and so that now means she can be married off to an eligible suitor, something her mother, Lady Aislinn (Billie Piper), and father, Lord Rollo (Andrew Scott) are eager to do as they are in dire financial straits. Unwilling to conform to expectations, Birdy does whatever she can to avoid becoming betrothed.
I think the thing about Catherine Called Birdy that annoyed me most is that all the best bits are in the trailer. Now I suppose this may raise an argument for not watching trailers before watching the film, but a good trailer should only convey the feeling and mood of a film, not show all the best jokes and leave nothing of note for the finished product.
That being said Catherine Called Birdy is funny, not as funny as I had hoped, but the tale of an adolescent woman struggling with puberty and with the prospect of marriage was presented in a rather humours fashion, helped significantly by some strong performances and a great soundtrack.
Lincolnshire in the thirteenth century is a dull place to be, and for fourteen-year-old Catherine (Bella Ramsey), who goes by the nickname of Birdy, things have just gotten complicated. She has started menstruating, and so that now means she can be married off to an eligible suitor, something her mother, Lady Aislinn (Billie Piper), and father, Lord Rollo (Andrew Scott) are eager to do as they are in dire financial straits. Unwilling to conform to expectations, Birdy does whatever she can to avoid becoming betrothed.
I think the thing about Catherine Called Birdy that annoyed me most is that all the best bits are in the trailer. Now I suppose this may raise an argument for not watching trailers before watching the film, but a good trailer should only convey the feeling and mood of a film, not show all the best jokes and leave nothing of note for the finished product.
That being said Catherine Called Birdy is funny, not as funny as I had hoped, but the tale of an adolescent woman struggling with puberty and with the prospect of marriage was presented in a rather humours fashion, helped significantly by some strong performances and a great soundtrack.
I have seen people rave about Bella Ramsey since her debut in Game of Thrones, however I can’t shake the feeling that she’s a tad overrated. Her performance as Birdy was fine, but mostly unremarkable I would say. In fact, the film is at its strongest when Piper and Scott take centre stage. Both performers deliver some excellent one liners, have such command over the camera, and feel comfortable in the roles the are playing. Everyone else just sord of fades into the background. I wish the whole film had been about Lady Aislinn and Lord Rollo, I feel like that would have been a film closer to the modern A Knights tale I was expecting.
I mentioned the music, because similar to A Knights Tale, Catherine Called Birdy utilises a lot of modern music for its soundtrack but remixed with era-appropriate instruments. Songs like Alright by Supergrass given the thirteenth century treatment were a delight to hear, and helped convey the quirky and off-kilter tone really well. In fact, some of the covers of songs I feel I actually prefer to the originals, so the soundtrack is absolutely one I’m going to keep coming back to in the future even if I never watch the film again.
Catherine Called Birdy is a fun enough medieval comedy. The way it handles women’s issues within the context of the thirteenth century does provide some genuinely funny moments. However it does feel somewhat by the numbers, and if you have seen the trailer then you’ve already seen all the best bits of the film.
I mentioned the music, because similar to A Knights Tale, Catherine Called Birdy utilises a lot of modern music for its soundtrack but remixed with era-appropriate instruments. Songs like Alright by Supergrass given the thirteenth century treatment were a delight to hear, and helped convey the quirky and off-kilter tone really well. In fact, some of the covers of songs I feel I actually prefer to the originals, so the soundtrack is absolutely one I’m going to keep coming back to in the future even if I never watch the film again.
Catherine Called Birdy is a fun enough medieval comedy. The way it handles women’s issues within the context of the thirteenth century does provide some genuinely funny moments. However it does feel somewhat by the numbers, and if you have seen the trailer then you’ve already seen all the best bits of the film.