Based on the memoir of the same name, H Is for Hawk chronicles Helen McDonald’s grief after the sudden loss of her father. The film reunites The Crown‘s Philippa Lowthorpe and Claire Foy as the two weave a complex tale of life after death. Yet, within its literary roots, what grounds H Is for Hawk is the direct involvement of author Helen McDonald in the script’s writing process. Between Lowthorpe, Foy, McDonald, and co-writer Emma Donoghue, H Is for Hawk is a festival-forward film that promises high drama amid personal grief.
Helen (Claire Foy), at the start, is a successful naturalist with career prospects; she’s respected in her work and close with her father (Brendan Gleeson). After the shocking death of her father, Helen spirals into depression and isolation. But despite her grief, her connection with nature persists. Helen yearns to train a goshawk, an often unaffectionate and aggressive bird. What begins as a way to occupy her mind soon becomes an outlet for Helen’s fragile path toward healing. The notion of hunting with her goshawk, Mabel, awakens a sense of purpose and catharsis as she begins to reevaluate her views on life, death, and her place in this world.
Claire Foy takes center stage in H Is for Hawk, conveying the bitter sadness of loss within the confusion of attempting to cope. Scenes between her and Mabel are rich with subtext as Foy’s restraint contrasts with the freedom of Mabel flying. Brendan Gleeson’s chemistry with Foy quickly creates years of love within a handful of scenes, building a shorthand that only a father and daughter could have. Denise Gough channels the determination that won her acclaim in Andor while also displaying her range, showcasing deep concern as Helen becomes more obsessed with Mabel. Each performer accentuates the literary elements of their roles while offering subtleties that elevate the material beyond adaptation.
Co-written by author Helen McDonald, H Is for Hawk’s personal essence can be felt in every scene. McDonald, paired with a novelist and screenwriter, Emma Donoghue, the Oscar-nominated writer of Room, gives the film even more nuance as Helen navigates loss, a funeral, falconry, and returning to the world. H Is for Hawk echoes notes from restrained dramas like Minari, Nomadland, and Donoghue’s own work in Room, as the narrative explores the emptiness of those facing hardship. The story alone lends itself to high drama, but with Lowthorpe’s directional sensibilities, H Is for Hawk weaves a somber story of love struggling to endure.
Phillippa Lowthorpe lets H Is for Hawk stay quiet. And it needs to be quiet. Sometimes stories about death, loss, or putting a life back together are not soaring tales of triumph or inspiring narratives of the human spirit. Sometimes loss feels like true loss. Lowthorpe keeps everything on a very human level, and it lets Helen’s relationship with Mabel shine. More importantly, it lets Helen, as a character, breathe and have agency in a story where she feels helpless beyond the bond with her hawk. Even in a quiet forest, the rush and primal urge of Mabel’s hunt can allow Helen to feel beyond her present. Lowthorpe uses the vastness of nature and Mabel’s flight brilliantly to show Helen’s longing for freedom, but grounded in a world without her father.
H Is for Hawk keeps the literary elements but turns them into a festival favorite. Symbolism and subtext are rich throughout the narrative, yet it is accessible for those who have not read the book. Performances are powerful and assured, as expected from performers of this caliber. However, H Is for Hawk lives on the festival circuit, and that’s not a bad thing. Each scene reads like an empathetic festival drama or like an Oscar contender circa the early 2010s. Everything in the film shows a deep understanding of prestige cinema, but it honors the genre’s traditions rather than redefining them.
We hope you're enjoying BRWC. You should check us out on our social channels, subscribe to our newsletter, and tell your friends. BRWC is short for battleroyalewithcheese.
