CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY

Even if Lena Dunham had opened up the tale to a broader audience, the plot is too predictable, many characters are drawn woefully thin and the overall feminist theme lacks surprises.

Let me start out by saying that Catherine Called Birdy isn't necessarily a bad film. I'm sure that there is a young female audience out there that will absolutely adore this tale about a medieval girl who refuses to be wedded off to the first suitor who will pay a handsome dowery.

But since I'm not part of that demographic I found Lena Dunham's film a bit of a bore. To the director's credit, she never compromises the fact that Catherine Called Birdy is a kids movie, yet in doing so she alienates a wider audience, even if the soundtrack wittily consists of medieval versions of modern pop classics and she uses - to a certain extent - the visual stylings of the smartphone generation.

Truth be told, even if Dunham had opened up the tale to a broader audience, the plot is too predictable, many of the characters are drawn woefully thin and the overall feminist theme lacks surprises.

So despite a decent cast and nice contributions from the craft department I'm not sure what exactly the point of Catherine Called Birdy is.

release: 2022

director: Lena Dunham

starring: Bella Ramsey, Billie Piper, Andrew Scott, Sophie Okonedo