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Catherine Called Birdy

2022

Lena Dunham

Bella Ramsey, Lesley Sharp, Sophie Okonedo, Joe Alwyn ...

5.6

372

Adventure. Drama 1290 A.D. 'Catherine Called Birdy' follows the adventures of a 14 year old girl in medieval England, as she navigates through life and avoiding potential suitors her father has in mind.

	Media	Author	Review
		Peter Debruge Variety	"A delightful film for girls (...) Dunham isn’t much concerned with historical accuracy, using the era’s distance from today as a source of absurdist humor"
		Trevor Johnston Time Out	"The flaws don't stop us getting caught up in Catherine's world (...) Far from perfect but unexpectedly stirring too (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Ethan Vestby The Film Stage	"Sadly, a safe film for a rebellious protagonist, even if still maintaining a warm, humanistic quality makes it not a total loss"
		Leah Greenblatt Entertainment Weekly	"The entertainment options for girls who just want to have fun —and also, you know, fundamental rights— tend toward slim to none. So bless 'Catherine Called Birdy' for bringing some genuine fresh air to [the] genre"
		Kristy Puchko Mashable	Catherine Called Birdy is not only charming but also clearly true to Dunham's voice (...) From Bella Ramsey to Andrew Scott and Billie Piper, Catherine Called Birdy has an excellent cast."
		Tim Grierson Screendaily	"Despite Bella Ramsey’s endearingly impudent turn as the titular teen, the film ends up being a superficial attack on the patriarchy, failing to be as biting or delightful as one might hope."
		Jourdain Searles The Hollywood Reporter	"A delight (...) Despite the inherent darkness of a girl being pushed to grow up faster than she would like, Dunham finds humor in the absurdity of gender roles"
		Kate Erbland IndieWire	"The filmmaker's fourth film is wilde and wise and witty, a charming adaptation that Dunham makes entirely her own."
		Wes Greene Slant	"[It] feels oddly lifeless (...) Rating: ★½ (out of 4)"
		Marya E. Gates rogerebert.com	"There is surely an audience for this kind of feel-good quote-un-quote feminism. But a book of such richness, with a heroine as complex as Birdy, deserves much more than this genial Renn Faire romp (…) Rating: ★★ (out of 4)"
		Dan Callahan The Wrap	"The filmmaker has no apparent feel for the characters, the humor or even the visuals in this adaptation"
		Jason Bailey The Playlist	"'Catherine Called Birdy' is delightfully witty, irrelevant, and modern-minded while carefully dodging the self-satisfaction and smugness that those descriptors can conjure up."
		Valerie Complex Deadline	"While the middle of the film is the weakest part, Quinn’s production design and costumes by Day are the top-quality (...) [it] could have quickly sunk into low-budget territory, but their work elevates the visuals"
		Adrian Horton The Guardian	"The cast, all delightful (...) It’s refreshing to see Ramsey, who played Lyanna Mormont on 'Game of Thrones', embody another medieval heroine without quite so much gore and gloom (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Beth Webb Empire	"Sidestep the somewhat over-egged stylistic touches and you'll find a fun coming-of-age tale boasting three irresistible performances from Bella Ramsey, Billie Piper and Andrew Scott (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Mark Keizer AV Club	"A boisterous, ballsy, medieval delight"
		Alison Willmore Vulture	"Dunham seems liberated by the act of adaptation, as though tempering her distinctive creative impulses gives her rein to make a movie that's tender and more broadly crowd-pleasing, while still very much her own"
		Mae Abdulbaki Screen Rant	"while the film loses its way and stumbles in the second act, the ending pulls everything together quite neatly. Bolstered by a headstrong performance from Ramsey (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Arezou Amin Collider	"What truly saves this film from its own baffling choices and makes it watchable are the performances. Scott, Piper, and Alwyn all turn in compelling performances, but it is the titular "little bird" that steals the show"
		M.N. Miller Ready Steady Cut	"Lena Dunham has adapted the tricky source material of the young adult novel by Karen Cushman and turned out a delightful coming-of-age charmer (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 5)"
		Richard Lawson Vanity Fair	"I like the more sagacious, more patient Dunham we can imagine behind the camera here. She’s refined the jaggedness of her own youthful insight and now hands down a more refined package to a new generation"
		Tara Bennett IGN	"Bella Ramsey is the energetic heart and soul of the piece, and her comedic chops shine throughout. She’s supported by a strong cast of fresh faces and talented veteran"
		Marshall Shaffer Decider	"It's sweet, sincere, and sizzlingly funny. Whether Birdy is dealing with family or friends, romance or society, she's got something to say —and something to teach us"

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