Catherine Called Birdy

For some reason this reminded me of a long ago ill-fated TV show, "When Things Were Rotten." It was a Mel Brooks production so it had slapstick and plenty of transplanted vibes from the current era into a Robin Hood scenario, I've not read the YA novel that Lena Durham based this on, I'm guessing that was mostly a genteel take on not-so-gentle girls fighting back against the chattel calls of the day.

This film has a TV show kind of flair, cameos and quick quip humor. And it has slaptick/fartjoke humor, but it's all in good fun. So things are Mirthful, and yes things are Inclusive, and that shouldn't prevent one from enjoying the sweet silliness.

The film is by and large safe, although the birthing techniques then were not, and that was a bit of barrier for my wife, along with some of the bawdy and the bile (or other bodily fluids).

Andrew Scott is really really good from Sherlock to Fleabag to one of the more enjoyable takes here as a sitcom-style Dad.

Seems like the film was a lark to work on, and a lark to enjoy. Maybe listen with headphones, to catch the dialog zips and zings best, especially if your ears are like mine and bit too Amurrican. A pox upon me I guess, but just a small pox.

Needing something brainless and fluffy to watch, this fit the bill just fine. I'm not bothered by the historical inaccuracies because there are SO much, it reads intentional. The main plot device is inaccurate in itself- a noble lady would carry a dowry into marriage. If she's broke, the best she can hope for is being attractive or titled enough to find a suitor willing to have her... they wouldn't be lined up as portrayed here. I'm not a Lena Dunham fan, but I think this was entertaining and subtle (for Dunham). Although the main character was too naive to truly be a medieval young woman (the whole menstrual bit was farfetched), I understood what the messaging was intending to convey. I always use subtitles which definitely came in handy here as some dialogue was hard to catch and worth catching- for the most part the writing was snappy and humorous. Great casting all around with Dad (Scott) stealing every scene. Bella made a believable tomboy, but it was hard not to remember her as a mini GOT badass. The soundtrack paid homage to my younger years which was cool to hear, except Mazzy Star "Fade Into Me" should never be messed with- it's perfection as it is. I dig Carter Burwell so it made sense I liked the majority of what I heard. The cinematography was lush and beautiful-- a star in it's own right, so high marks there. Is any of this realistic? No. Can it still be enjoyed on a Saturday night in PJs? Yes. Just don't overthink it.

Birdy's a young girl, almost a woman, a bit naïve of all the world in which she's living, but she's got to grow up quick, a new clock's primed and starts to tick, she now has value and a modesty for taking. So arrangements are prepared to sell her off, it makes her quite annoyed, it makes her scoff, so she wriggles and she squirms, to avert taking new terms, prevent her moving to a strangers dirty trough. But her father's most insistent she'll soon pack, for disobeying he metes out several hand whacks, potential suitors are arranged, so she presents as quite deranged, then Shaggy Beard, decides he'd like to have a crack. You're just pleased this is a tale set in the past, a time of yore, so long ago, a long time passed, well you'd like to think that's true, but you know, and I know too, that it all depends upon the cards that you've been caste.

Great acting, great dialogue, not quite as laugh out loud funny as I'd hoped it would be but enjoyable nonetheless - to a point, which it makes very well. There's a very good film called 'What Will People Say' that's worth tracking down if you have the time.

8/10 - Most films set in medieval times have a "brown" tinge to them. This film however is colourful and bright - and that's not even my favourite thing about it. I think think this is one of the best things Lena Dunham has ever done, I always liked "Girls" but was never part of the frenzy, more a casual viewer. But this film is really special, Bella Ramsey is so talented as is the whole cast. It also does the rare thing of being a young adult story that teens and tweens can watch with their parents. There's nothing in there that's really inappropriate or gratuitous. I highly recommend this film!

Very good and extremely funny and well written. The only character I did not like, was The Suitor played by Russell Brand. I think his acting skills have always been horrible. That's just in my opinion. Every time I watch a movie or show, and find out that he is in it, for me personally, it seems to take away from the story itself. This story however, was extremely well written and the characters were very thought out. The directing is excellent and the cast is very talented. Even though I did not like one of the characters I still highly recommend seeing it. I would have given it more stars, but there was a few times that the storyline lacked in my opinion not much but a little bit.