H Is for Hawk (2025)
Genre: Biography / Drama
Duration: 115 minuten
Country:
United Kingdom / United States
Directed by: Philippa Lowthorpe
Stars: Claire Foy, Brendan Gleeson and Denise Gough
IMDb score:
6,5 (1.765)
Releasedate: 26 November 2025
H Is for Hawk plot
When Helen unexpectedly loses her beloved father, Alistair, her world collapses. To cope with his death, Helen takes in Mabel, a hawk. Falconry was a childhood passion of hers, and one that her father always supported. The demanding training of this spirited bird of prey presents Helen with significant challenges. However, it creates a special bond that not only helps her overcome her grief but also allows her to rediscover the beauty of life.
Actors and actresses
Helen Macdonald
Alisdair Macdonald
Stuart
James
Young Helen
Christina
Amar
Mandy
Reviews & comments
mrklm
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- 12190 messages
- 10362 votes
After the death of her father [Brendan Gleeson], a renowned photojournalist, Helen [Claire Foy] throws herself into a passion she shared with him for hawks. She buys a hawk and attempts to train it, but partly due to her emotional instability, both her professional and personal relationships are jeopardized. A standard grief drama with predictable peaks and a routine resolution, but Gleeson (seen in a number of flashbacks) was rarely so endearing and sympathetic.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Collins
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- 7452 messages
- 4430 votes
About Helen (Claire Foy), who falls into an emotional void after the sudden death of her father (Brendan Gleeson). She finds distraction in training a hawk. So much distraction that she neglects her family, home, and work. The distraction becomes an obsession. H Is For Hawk is a quietly paced drama with atmospheric visuals and good acting.
Director Philippa Lowthorpe bases her film on the autobiography of the same name by Helen MacDonald. She translates the novel into a film with a strong focus on atmosphere and nature. And she has succeeded well, but it also results in moments that require a great deal of patience. More than half of the film consists of scenes with Foy and the Hawk. The hawk landing on Helen's arm and flying away again. The hawk catching rabbits and other game. The hawk on a perch in Helen's home. Beautiful images, but somewhat monotonous. Eventually, the repetitive nature of the scenes begins to become irritating, and it feels just like watching a nature documentary. The film, which takes up more than two hours, is clearly too long.
On the other hand, the scenes with Foy and Gleeson are very beautiful and touching. I would have liked to see a little less hawk and a little more interaction between the characters in the film. That being said, a patient viewer can revel in beautiful nature shots, and both the patient and the less patient viewer can easily be moved by the difficult path Helen takes to extricate herself from her oppressive grief. Despite some concentration issues resulting from the repetitive nature of the scenes with the hawk, the film certainly did not leave me unmoved in that regard.
Translated from Dutch · View original
filmkul
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- 2601 messages
- 2323 votes
A decent drama. The story about processing grief is based on truth. The execution is reasonably successful. The film meanders along quietly without becoming boring, but at times it comes pretty close to doing so. The film lacks just a little substance to sustain the full two hours. Also, the ending doesn't feel like a entirely good conclusion to the film. Fortunately, the viewer is treated to beautiful visuals and fine cinematography. Foy also delivers a rock-solid performance and has excellent chemistry with the hawk. Gleeson shines as always and comes across so naturally and purely that you almost forget you are watching an actor. 3.5
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