THE STORY – When a woman’s beloved father passes away unexpectedly, she is consumed by a sorrow that she slowly gets herself out of by nurturing a goshawk.
THE CAST – Claire Foy, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Spruell, Josh Dylan & Denise Gough
THE TEAM – Philippa Lowthorpe (Director/Writer) & Emma Donoghue (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 113 Minutes
When it comes to films about pets or grief through animals, audiences have seen stories about dogs, cats, pigs, dolphins, and horses. With “H Is for Hawk”, Claire Foy and director Phillipa Lowthorpe bring something new to the genre: the story of a woman who turns to a goshawk to cope with unimaginable loss. Adapted from Helen MacDonald’s memoir by “Room” screenwriter Emma Donoghue, the film is a deeply personal and emotional journey, elevated by naturalistic themes, striking cinematography, and a devastating performance by Foy. Yet, despite its beauty, the story often feels too inwardly focused and underdeveloped, holding the film back from achieving its full impact.
Foy stars as Helen, a PhD student at Oxford whose world is shattered by the sudden death of her father (Brendan Gleeson). Already reserved, Helen retreats further into isolation, her grief becoming unmanageable. Memories of her father’s love for nature — particularly birdwatching — inspire her to buy and train a goshawk, a decision that quickly consumes her life. While her family worries, and her work begins to suffer, Helen throws herself into caring for the bird, the hawk becoming both a lifeline and a mirror of her loneliness.
The film takes its time revealing why Helen’s grief cuts so deeply. Through photo albums and flashbacks, we come to understand the profound bond she shared with her father, the only person who truly understood her. His absence leaves an unfilled void. Unlike her stern mother, he was passionately engaged with the world, photographing bridges, rivers, royalty, and landscapes. He passed down to Helen his fascination with nature, a legacy abruptly stolen from her too soon.
“H Is for Hawk” finds its rhythm in the second half, paralleling the hawk’s first attempts at flight with Helen’s own fragile process of healing. She articulates her philosophy of imaginative empathy towards nature, lamenting humanity’s detachment and the degradation of biodiversity. These reflections bring depth and resonance, though one wishes they had appeared earlier rather than waiting until the final act. Some metaphors, like equating Helen directly with the hawk — wild yet tethered — feel overly literal, but the thematic heart of the story shines through regardless.
The film’s most rewarding aspects are its visuals and its central performance. Sweeping cinematography captures the hawk soaring over forests, rivers, and the English countryside, offering breathtaking images that contrast with Helen’s interior grief. Foy anchors the film with remarkable vulnerability, balancing melancholy with flashes of fulfillment as Helen reconnects with her father through memories and photos. Her performance is neither understated nor showy, but finely calibrated to convey the depth of grief that most viewers can only begin to imagine.
Premiering at the Telluride Film Festival and still awaiting distribution, “H Is for Hawk” may not be a perfect film. Still, it is a moving and often beautiful meditation on loss and renewal. Whatever one makes of the title, Claire Foy’s performance alone is reason enough to see it. She soars in a role that proves once again why she is among the finest actors working today.
