Birdeater
- 2023
- 1h 53min
Una futura sposa viene invitata alla festa di addio al celibato del suo fidanzato, ma quando vengono scoperti dettagli scomodi della loro relazione, la notte prende una svolta selvaggia.Una futura sposa viene invitata alla festa di addio al celibato del suo fidanzato, ma quando vengono scoperti dettagli scomodi della loro relazione, la notte prende una svolta selvaggia.Una futura sposa viene invitata alla festa di addio al celibato del suo fidanzato, ma quando vengono scoperti dettagli scomodi della loro relazione, la notte prende una svolta selvaggia.
- Premi
- 5 vittorie e 1 candidatura in totale
Recensioni in evidenza
Birdeater courageously delves into the dark side of masculinity. The blokey camaraderie on display curdles into something toxic, fueled by excessive drinking, questionable decisions, and a pervasive sense of entitlement. The film reminded me a bit of Wake in Fright, another Australian classic that explores similar themes (there's an explicit reference to it in one scene if you watch carefully). But Birdeater injects a healthy dose of surrealism into the mix. Think of waking dreams and hallucinations that blur the lines between reality and psychosis.
The performances are solid, with Azeez holding her own as the increasingly isolated Irene. She believably conveys a growing sense of fear and confusion as the weekend unravels. The rest of the cast falls into familiar archetypes - the loudmouth larrikin, the nervous follower, and the quiet observer. While they're effective in creating an unsettling group dynamic, there's not a lot of room for nuance in their portrayals.
The real star of the film is the editing. It's sharp and frenetic, mirroring Irene's escalating anxiety. Fast cuts and jarring transitions create a sense of unease, leaving you perpetually on edge. The camerawork is similarly effective, often lingering on unsettling close-ups or lingering on empty spaces, adding to the overall sense of dread.
The film's greatest strength lies in its atmosphere. The Australian outback becomes a character in itself, vast and unforgiving. The use of colour is particularly interesting. The initial scenes are bathed in warm, golden hues, suggesting a sense of normalcy that quickly gives way to a cold, sterile palette as the weekend takes a dark turn.
However, Birdeater's plot takes a while to get going, and some of the dream sequences felt a little indulgent. The ending, while ambiguous, left me wanting a bit more resolution.
Overall, Birdeater is a compelling, albeit uneven, film. It's a slow burn that will stay with you long after the credits roll, thanks to its chilling portrayal of a toxic relationship and its exploration of the darker aspects of masculinity. If you're looking for something atmospheric and thought-provoking, Birdeater is worth a watch. But if you crave a clear-cut narrative and a satisfying resolution, you might want to steer clear. I walked away feeling unsettled but impressed by the film's visual style and its unflinching portrayal of uncomfortable truths.
But then searching online I find the guy who started the SFF Sydney Film Festival is a cofounder of the production company. So, the fact that all BREATHLESS film were accepted into the festival Not based on their merit is a CONFLICT of interest. And there have been far superior films made in SYDNEY that didn't get into the festival - explain that? Thid film is trying to be artistic, trying too hard to be different, so it has a unique voice. BUT to do that you need STORY, and this lacks that as well as the super loud sound design and music that drowns out the mumbling dialogue. On that note that sound design is too weird it wrecks the atmosphere of an already doomed picture. There is no strong anything here at all, the actors seem uncomfortable and the chemistry between the 2 leads is so awkward and is bad casting. And once again we are in the middle of the bush with a bunch of white people with the one token black girl, no diversity at all. The lead is not chiasmatic or interesting or engaging, just wooden and 2 dimensional. The film is shot well, so that's all I can give marks for. And 2 hours for this is way too long when you have no story to tell, using the film reference Wake in Fright as inspiration or in Homage to is just so wrong as it doesn't even come close. In the final 10 minutes the film tries to invoke a LESSON but it's too late when there was no story to begin with. People will say that you didn't understand the film but that's rubbish, in closing don't waste your time. Read my other reviews to see how supportive I am of the film-industry in Oz, I go and rent and buy all Aussie films and even go out to all the Q&A's so read my reviews and you will see what the very best of OZ Cinema has.
I normally can point a few good things out but this time can't. I even read the other comments to understand this movie but that was in vain I'm sure anyone rating it higher than a 4 worked on the film.
I wasn't behind the scenes, I wasn't writing it nor directing. But you would think at the first audition or table read that someone did not put their hand up and say " I don't get"?
Some directors, writers just can't seem to make a decent enjoyable movie without it being overly over the top "complicated."
It might have worked worked as a short movie rather than 1 hour and 55 minutes.
What happened to the characters? Why was that woman dancing in nude. How about that ending ( scratches head).?
I read it was their first time directing or writing but you're only as good as your last film. I hope they getter better for a mainstream audience. However this TEAM has the skills and tools to do a better film. The actors I hope to see more off.
All the best on your next project.( make sure your audience can understand what's coming from your mind to script.
The standout moments come from its captivating fever dream sequences, adding a fantastic visual layer to the story. The plot follows Irene, who joins her fiancé Louie's unorthodox buck's party weekend, leading to unexpected and unsettling events. Louie's groomsmen's actions take the celebration into a wild, drug-induced ride, painting a darkly humorous and thought-provoking picture of young Australian men.
Although "Birdeater" isn't flawlessly executed, its willingness to explore challenging themes and the imaginative use of fever dream sequences make it a noteworthy contender in the indie film realm. For those intrigued by boundary-pushing storytelling that blends genres, this movie might just be worth checking out.
Lo sapevi?
- Quiz"Who do you want to spend the rest of your life with", is what Sam whispers to Irene during the game of Paranoia. Revealed by the directors on the Blu-Ray commentary.
- Citazioni
Dylan: I didn't wanna do this but I was asked to, so..Louie and Irene.
Louie: Cheers. Thanks, Dylan. Thank you, mate.
Dylan: I love Louie. We all love Louie, yeah? And, um, we are gathered here tonight to memorialise, to adios, as they say, to the man we once knew. A passionate low grade sportsman, only solo, never in a team. He didn't wanna rely on others when he could just fuck things up for himself. Academically, he was notorious for being unremarkable. Louie couldn't say he was smart, you know, he wasn't dumb either. He's just. You're just fucking there, aren't ya? He didn't get invited to many parties either but when he did, he would enjoy laughing at jokes he didn't hear. Fucking stealing people's beers just to pick at the label. Then he'd just leave without saying goodbye to the boys. Uh, but, you know, against all odds, he wasn't embarrassed to be this way, you know. That's how, Louie wanted things. He wanted to hide in plain sight. He had a moderate size porn collection. Haha, wait a minute. I'm joking. Louie doesn't watch any porn.
Louie: Good one, Dylan.
Dylan: You know, as it was, everyone knew Louie like they knew me and Charlie. We came as three. Even when we weren't together. Nah, Charlie was the smart one, I was the funny one and Louie was the nice one. Together we made one interesting person. So, uh, that was that. I like to think Louie and I really came together on two separate occasions. The first time being on Year 10 camp. You know, we went back to the cabin..
Louie: Uh, Dylan, we're not gonna do that story, mate. We can't do that story.
Dylan: Haha, yeah. You're right. Too silly, Louie. Too silly for dinner... The second time was at my house and we went on..
Louie: Dylan, mate. Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, let's just speed this up, hey?
Dylan: Okay. Okay. Okay, Louie. Okay. Okey dokey. What should we talk about then? Mmm? You know sometimes in life, a man's lucky enough to get something that he really wants. You know, like, really get it. And if he doesn't, the next best thing is seeing his best mate get it, so here we are.
Charlie: Yep, here we are.
Dylan: A man of his word.
Charlie: His word indeed.
Louie: Thank you, Dylan. Thank you very much mate.
Dylan: I'm gonna fuck that girl by the end of the night, I promise you both. That's what Louie said to us the first time he saw Irene. Johann's birthday. Party at the beach. Really scenic. Waves. Sand. Seagulls. It was beautiful. Oh, and Louie, he didn't even know who she was but he wanted her. She didn't even know who she was there with, if she was available, but old Louie wanted her. And then Irene got drunk, like really drunk. And Louie was sober. In fact, a clever onlooker might have been able to tell you that old Louie over here was a bit more generous when pouring the drinks for his new best friend Irene than he was when he was pouring those drinks for himself. And in the end, hey! That's the first time Louie fucked Irene. Hey? Or shouldn't I have said that.
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Dettagli
Botteghino
- Lordo in tutto il mondo
- 51.153 USD
- Tempo di esecuzione1 ora 53 minuti
- Colore
- Proporzioni
- 1.85 : 1