Dylan Southern’s The Thing With Feathers is an imperfect yet viscerally affecting movie; a film that’s meant to be felt, not understood, and that will stay with you for a long time.
Writer & Director: Dylan Southern
Genre: Drama
Run Time: 98′
Berlin Film Festival Screening: February 18, 2025
Release Date: TBA
If you’ve ever lost a parent or a partner, there are certain movies you probably approach with caution – for example, those that revolve around illness or death – as you know that they might trigger painful memories. I went into Dylan Southern’s The Thing With Feathers knowing that it was about a father who has recently lost his wife, yet I was not prepared for the visceral reaction this film provoked in me.
Both narratively and tonally speaking, this is an extremely flawed film. But it’s also a movie that had me spontaneously burst into tears several times, and that I still haven’t been able to stop thinking about ever since I first saw it on February 18. When a film has the power to elicit such an intense, raw and even therapeutic response, that has to be acknowledged, and it becomes so much more important than any storytelling flaws. The Thing With Feathers was one of the most memorable and haunting films at this year’s Berlinale, and one that you should absolutely seek out.
Adapted from Max Porter’s 2017 novel “Grief is the Thing With Feathers,” the film takes us into the mind of a man, known only as “Dad” (Benedict Cumberbatch, of The Power of the Dog), who’s clearly struggling to stay afloat. Dad is a cartoonist, and he spends his days drawing while raising his seven years old “Boys” (Richard and Henry Boxall, both in their acting debut). Right away, we realize that the family has just lost their wife/mother, suddenly and unexpectedly, and that Dad is having difficulties with his new status as an “English widower,” having to look after two very energetic kids while dealing with unwanted comments from strangers and, more importantly, intrusive thoughts of his own.
Soon, these intrusive thoughts start taking shape, assuming the form of a crow – or, rather, the kind of crow a child would draw if they were to conjure it up from their imagination: a winged, deep-voiced, disproportionate creature who can stand on his own two legs, and who can be scary but also kind of clumsy; crude, judgemental and, at times, violent, yet also caring, respectful, and even loving. After all, by his own admission, “Crow” (Eric Lampaert, of Moonwalkers) prefers the “therapeutic method.”
It’s hard to describe The Thing With Feathers‘ narrative structure, as new elements are presented as the film unfolds that every viewer will interpret in a different way. The movie is told from the points of view of every character in it, from Dad and the Boys to Crow and, well, someone else whose identity is best left unspoiled (not that I understood exactly who they’re meant to represent, but that’s another story). We get to hear most of these characters’ thoughts, particularly Dad’s and Crow’s, and as we become more and more acquainted with this family’s specific brand of grief, we come face to face with their deepest fears and despair, and reminded of our own, too.
But this isn’t a grim watch. What The Thing With Feathers does incredibly well is scatter moments of dark, self-aware humor throughout its run time which make every single one of these characters relatable and likable despite the odd situation in which they find themselves. This includes Crow, who assumes many roles throughout the film, and who’s what makes it such a psychologically compelling analysis of what grief can do to a person.
Is Crow meant to represent grief itself? Is he a manifestation of the family’s fears? Is he their wife and mother coming to take care of them until they’re ready to go on on their own? Or is he a presence that has always been there, and that they’re only just able to perceive? Regardless of the answer, The Thing With Feathers will put you face to face with the universal experience of losing someone you love and elicit a very strong reaction as a result; as someone who lost their mother at a young age, I found it not just affecting, but also, surprisingly, healing.
Storytelling-wise, this is not a film that will shock you with twists and turns; despite its unique premise, you’ll probably be able to guess its very last shot right at the start. On top of this, the second act sees the film delve into horror territory in a way that’s not only puzzling and jarring, but also hard to take seriously. Thankfully, Southern always keeps his focus on his characters, Dad in particular, and Benedict Cumberbatch’s layered, devastating performance makes both the story and its protagonist unforgettable. Not only that, but Richard and Henry Boxall are always believable despite this being their very first movie, which is even more impressive given their young age.
The Thing With Feathers is an imperfect movie, but it’s also a film that works in ways you can’t explain. Whether you’ve read the book or you’re only just approaching this story for the first time, you’re bound to be affected by Southern’s haunting storytelling.
The Thing With Feathers: Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
A grieving father and his two young sons learn to navigate life without their wife and mother, whom they’ve just suddenly lost, while dealing with the sudden apparition of a crow-like figure who might be a friend or a foe.
Pros:
- A story that deals with universal themes and that works at an emotional level, eliciting a visceral reaction in you
- Superb acting from Benedict Cumberbatch, and impressive turns from child co-stars Richard and Henry Boxall in their acting debuts
- Psychologically fascinating material that will affect each viewer in different ways
Cons:
- Tonally jarring, particularly with the introduction of some horror elements in the second act
- It’s hard to understand who one of the characters is meant to represent
- The story itself is very straightforward and follows predictable beats
The Thing With Feathers premiered at the Berlin Film Festival on February 18, 2025. Read our Berlin Film Festival reviews!
