The Thing with Feathers, 2025.
Written and Directed by Dylan Southern.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, David Thewlis, Jessie Cave, Sam Spruell, Leo Bill, Vinette Robinson, Garry Cooper, Tim Plester, Richard Boxall, and Henry Boxall.
SYNOPSIS:
After a tragic loss, a grieving father tries to raise his young sons whilst dealing with an unlikely, unpredictable and uninvited houseguest.
Max Porter’s debut novel Grief is The Thing With Feathers proved a smash hit in 2015. Dealing with a writer and his two young sons coming to terms with the loss of their mother, it alternated between the perspectives of the dad, boys, and crow, a human sized bird that acts as a metaphor for their shared grief. The book has now been given the film treatment from director Dylan Southern and starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the father role.
The film adds a darker edge to the book, veering close to horror in places, amping up the terrifying imagery of the crow and other dark forces that prey on our grief. The structure otherwise is much the same as the book, following both the dad and boys as they attempt to come to terms with what’s happened, trying to return to work and school respectively. It’s a difficult novel to adapt, and a film that, in taking liberties with the text, has robbed it of some of its impact.
Cumberbatch, as he has in recent years, proves that he has been underappreciated as a leading man. His anguish and confusion feel genuine and many will be able to relate to his isolation and struggles. It’s in some ways an atypical performance compared to his franchise work, more intimate and emotive. The two young actors are solid and help us connect with their sections of the story.
David Thewlis is menacing as the voice of the crow, coming and going, lurking in the background, a terrifying spectral figure and manifestation of the dad’s anger and heartbreak. The decision to lean more into the terrors that accompany the crow and some decidedly graphic imagery do make this a confusing adaptation, who exactly is it for? A shame because the performances and some of the imagery really bring Porter’s work to life in a striking fashion.
The Thing With Feathers is an ambitious if muddled adaptation of the bestselling novel. It contains a strong performance from Benedict Cumberbatch and some creative visuals yet never takes flight in the way it may have with a more refined focus.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Chris Connor
