The period film is jam-packed with familiar faces but at the heart of the story is budding British actor Bella Ramsey before they shot to fame in the hit series The Last Of Us.
Catherine Called Birdy is a 2022 comedy film, based on a 1994 novel, adapted and directed by Lena Dunham. After creating the iconic HBO show Girls and starring in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the filmmaker made her way back behind the camera to create this humorous coming-of-age tale, and viewers can’t get enough of it.
Catherine, who goes by the nickname Birdy, is a young fourteen-year-old girl growing up in the countryside of England during the 13th century with her father, Lord Rollo, and their family. After being informed that the family’s finances are experiencing a slashing, Rollo decides the best way to solve it is to marry off his daughter Birdy.
In her typical cheeky ways, in a bid to fight off growing up and keep her freedom, Birdy does all she can to fight off potential suitors. Through an endless stream of strange antics, she continues to fight off suitors, and through her diary keeping, she summarises the lessons learnt along the way.
A Rotten Tomatoes review says: “Bella Ramsey delivers a standout performance in Catherine Called Birdy, effortlessly bringing to life the rebellious, witty, and fiercely independent Birdy. With a magnetic screen presence, Ramsey captures the spirit of a young girl pushing back against medieval societal norms with sharp humour and modern sensibility, all while staying grounded in the emotional weight of her circumstances.
Another impressed viewer shared: “Brilliant. Excellent dialogue. Engaging. Performances were top-notch.” While someone else described the film as both “exquisite” and “flawless”.
Playing Birdy’s father is none other than Andrew Scott, best known for his role in BBC’s Fleabag, and her mother is played by British TV legend Billie Piper. Not to mention, adding familiar faces into the mix are Joe Alwyn and Paul Kaye alongside Harry Potter’s David Bradley.
The film introduced many fans to Bella Ramsey for the first time, after their appearance in Netflix’s Hilda, but before their rise to fame in The Last of Us with Hollywood heartthrob Pedro Pascal. Although the production in Shropshire back in 2021 was a far cry away from the red carpets they would soon grace.
Viewers can’t help but praise the performance of the budding actor, writing: “Consistently funny and with great performances throughout. The dialogue and pacing are great – not a dull moment!”
Lena Dunham has made a career off of her witty humour and has poured that into yet another project, called Too Much on Netflix.
This series, whilst still carrying the humour of Catherine Called Birdy and having a female character at the centre of it, explores life in London as an American.
For those wanting a touch of Dunham’s loveable characterisation, with a fierce performance from Ramsey, Catherine Called Birdy is available to stream now on Amazon Prime.