The Book of Birdie
1h 31min | Fantasy
Modern-day gothic fairy-tale THE BOOK OF BIRDIE hits VOD Oct 2nd!
Synopsis: Introverted Birdie is sent to live in a quaint and isolated convent by her concerned grandmother, in an attempt to change her sobering outlook on life. But left to her own devices she develops a heightened obsession with blood, which seems all too willing to flow from her body, and reoccurring visions and hallucinations that pull her in every direction. Sometimes whimsical and sometimes gory, Birdie passively questions – is she a saint or is she cursed?
Escaping the watchful eye of Mother Superior and the other nuns Birdie begins an intimate friendship with Julia, the groundskeepers daughter, but things begin to spiral out of control when the closing of the convent is announced and fates must be confronted.
Notable: I was intrigued by the story line and October is always a great time for these gothic fantasies. The issue I had with The Book of Birdie was how disjointed and all over the place the story was. I felt like I was walking on ice and could never get foothold enough to follow along. It was apparent what was intended but it just never came together.
What was impressive about the film and actually made it worth watching regardless of anything was the beauty of each and every frame. There were moments I wanted to pause the film and just stare at it like you might a museum art piece. Writer Director Elizabeth E. Schuch expertly framed each shot so that the balance of color and movement was fantastic. It truly is a beautiful film to watch.
I also can give a nod to lead actress Ilirida Memedovski who gives a gothic yet whimsical tone to Birdie. You want to dance with her but also will feel the need to sleep with one eye open. The eyes appear to know more than they should. Memedovski takes advantage of Schuch’s direction – or vice versa – and the two of them use the theme to their advantage. If the script had worked this would be one for the record books. But because of the flimsy story it nearly self destructs.
THE BOOK OF BIRDIE is unrated but is for adult audiences, or at least very late teens, due to the theme and visual imagery.
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