‘Catherine Called Birdy’ review – Coming of age Lena Dunham will charm your socks

There’s a rule of thumb when it comes to period movies: if a track has an outdated soundtrack, it’s going to kill you. Catherine is called Birdie gracefully falls into this category.

Lena Dunham’s new movie is practically full of joy, a delightful, coming-of-age theatrical soundtrack to the gritty covers of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You” and Supergrass’ “Okay.” Follow the likes of Sofia Coppola Marie Antoinette “name The Apple TV + gem DickinsonAnd the Catherine is called Birdie It tells about a young girl who lives in England in the thirteenth century. Birdie (Bella Ramsay) is a girl who becomes a woman, although she will put every barrier in her father’s (Andrew Scott) way before she gets married.

We meet little Birdie during a pivotal moment in her life: her first period. Panicked at the first sight of the blood, she hurried to tell her nurse Morwena (Leslie Sharpe) that she was dying. Leave the Bible to her brother. Leave the dresses to her friend Elise. Birdie grumbles of her own will, sad to leave the world, but still happy with all the fun she had. But her real fate is much worse than death. When Byrdie finds out that this means she is a woman and can now be sold for marriage, she is even more distraught.

The subject matter is always harsh—seeing girls sold for marriage, at the hands of their father, isn’t always the most fun thing to watch—but Dunham and Ramsay smear it enough plucking. Birdie spits harsh words and real saliva on her suitors, but she also loves her circle of friends and family enough to understand that there will be consequences for her actions.

Byrdie tells the whole story of the shebang, and it’s a risky and sometimes arrogant tactic that pays off here. In her girlish reactions to everything in her life, Ramsey’s performance is reminiscent of that of Renee Zellweger in Bridget Jones Diary: cheerful, sarcastic, and insightful all at once. It’s always fun when Birdie chimes in with a gossip little joke, and she warmly welcomes her stinging take on the issue at hand.

As we watch the Byrdie family try (and fail, time and time again) to find her a suitor, the movie is never as goofy with its feminist messages. Lots of movies and TV shows try to insert ‘the future is female’ quotes into dialogue, and they are hungry for social media users to take a screenshot and paste it online. But Catherine is called Birdie He triumphs in prioritizing the inclusivity of his characters before making them bait for political messages and marketing.

While the film is inherently feminist—the ordeal of Birdie, battling her suitors, remains a battle many young women have to contend with—the most revolutionary aspect of all is the respect he shows toward Birdie. Although she is only a teenage girl, who makes a lot of mistakes and makes a mess with mud pies, in the end, Catherine is called Birdie first in the first place first of all Respect her and her youth. She stumbles. But in the end, it is she who teaches the lessons to the elderly. We hope that young girls can watch this and understand that they too can be infallible and wise at the same time.

Wise men, after all, do not know everything. The adult laughs in this movie — Nurse Byrdie, her father Sir Rollo, her mother Lady Aislin (Billy Piper), and her uncle George (Joe Alwyn) — only add to the charm. Catherine is called Birdie. They also come of age along with cute little Birdie, the family’s first daughter and the most reckless of their group. Byrdie’s mother, who is usually in agonizing labor, is the best family member in her corner, presenting Byrdie a tender portrait of femininity when she’s at her lowest.

Andrew Scott and Joe Alwyn fit right in with Byrdie’s burgeoning personality. Scott pleases as a stuttering and arrogant father – still, of course, taking a keen interest in his children, with a special soft spot for Birdy. Alwyn finally gets a chance to re-create his magical work Favorite, as Birdie’s Knight in Shining Armor and the subject of her best friend’s affections. fainting!

The only downfall of Catherine is called Birdie It is rated PG-13. While I thoroughly enjoyed the feel-good movie of adulthood, it’s sad to think that little girls might never get to meet Byrdie. The original novel, written by Karen Cushman in 1994, was sold as a children’s story, and there is no reason to market the film to adults. But there are the swearing, some sexual chatter, and a lot of panic during your period, hence the PG-13 rating. However, I would advocate for most young girls to see the movie.

Dunham’s newest feature – coming just 2 months later sharp stick, her first feature in more than a decade – triumphs as a harmonious ode to growth, parenting, family, and femininity. or not, Catherine is called Birdie It will be delivered to the much-needed audiences (young women), though it will surely draw the rest of the world into lovable Byrdie, the sweetest little girl (who still manages to look great in a mud dress).