H is for Hawk Review: Claire Foy's Authentic Performance in a Complex Grief Drama
Can training a goshawk heal grief? Or perhaps it's a way to confront it? By keeping it indoors and taking it hunting, can one truly reconnect with nature in a way that city dwellers can't comprehend? Or is this just a domesticated display of cruelty, a symptom of deep depression?
Philippa Lowthorpe's film, based on Helen Macdonald's bestselling memoir, explores these questions. Despite its intriguing premise, the movie falls short of delivering the Hollywood redemption story it seems to promise. It follows a woman grappling with severe melancholy, guided through her darkness by her goshawk, Mabel, named after the whimsical character from Alice in Wonderland. (Macdonald used she/her pronouns at the time of publication and later identified as non-binary.)
As the credits roll, viewers might wonder if Helen and Mabel's story is ever truly resolved. This sense of ambiguity mirrors the messy and unfinished nature of real life.
Claire Foy portrays Macdonald in 2007, a Cambridge don teaching history and philosophy of science. Her character, Helen, is deeply affected by the death of her father, Alisdair Macdonald, an award-winning photographer. Foy's performance is remarkable, as she genuinely embodies the character's emotions. When Helen feels nervous around Mabel, it's palpable. Her genuine excitement when Mabel performs is infectious. The authenticity of Foy's portrayal is a highlight, especially in scenes where she and Mabel are in the car, resembling a scene from The Silence of the Lambs.
However, the relationship between Helen and Mabel remains ambiguous. Is it a genuine connection or merely a coincidence? This film joins a series of movies featuring humans bonding with predatory animals, including Kes, The Birds, and Grizzly Man. Mabel's icy gaze is genuinely unnerving.
Despite its flaws, Claire Foy's performance shines, making H is for Hawk a must-watch for those seeking an authentic portrayal of grief and nature's complexities.
