Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a career-defining performance in The Thing with Feathers, a small-scale British indie film that carves a unique and unsettling niche in the genre of bereavement horror. Without the star's considerable pull, this profoundly affecting and visceral examination of a family's grief might have slipped under the radar, but it demands attention for its bold and often uncomfortable approach.
A Visceral Descent Into Grief
Adapted and directed by Dylan Southern from Max Porter's acclaimed 2015 novella, Grief is the Thing with Feathers, the film transforms the multi-perspective source material into a more cinematically digestible, yet raw and desperately sad tale. Cumberbatch plays an unnamed 'Dad' struggling to cope with the sudden death of his wife. He is left alone to care for his two rambunctious young sons, played by debutant twins Richard and Henry Boxall, while also battling a severe case of writer's block, his only output being ominous scribbles of a crow.
The film's horror elements manifest in two distinct ways: through awkward, real-world frights, such as a school parent aggressively offering performative sympathy, and through more supernatural, visceral terror. This duality firmly places the film within the 'bereavement horror' category.
The Sinister Arrival of Crow
The narrative takes a sinister turn when a mocking voicemail and a doorbell ring herald the arrival of an uninvited and unbalanced house guest: Crow. This character is a chilling, physical manifestation of Dad's unmanaged grief. A looming, giant cloaked bird, Crow is all sharp beak, ominous talons, and inky black feathers, barely fully seen but always heard.
Brought to life through a remarkable combination of performer Eric Lampaert on stilts and an animatronic head, Crow's tangible presence makes the character both more possible and more daunting. The voice is provided by David Thewlis, who imbues the creature with a potent mix of mischief and malice through a growled Lancashire intonation.
Dark Humour and Heartbreaking Honesty
A vein of dark, savage humour runs through the film, often delivered by Crow as he ambushes Dad in everyday situations. At the supermarket, for instance, he derisively labels him 'English widower' and a 'middle-aged, middle class, Guardian-reading, beard-stroking, farmers' market attendee'. These brutal taunts mirror the cruel things we say to ourselves in times of pain. In a moment of breathtaking cruelty, Crow even promises the sons he can bring their mother back to life for a day.
Amidst the horror and humour, the film finds its most poignant moments in raw honesty. One of the most heartbreaking lines comes when Dad declares, 'I don't want to come to terms with it, I don't think there are any terms that would make it alright.' Cumberbatch, unsurprisingly, delivers an extraordinary performance, seamlessly shifting from tight-lipped repression to a full-bodied impersonation of a crow.
However, the film occasionally struggles with its balance. The line between reality and Dad's torment is often blurred, sometimes to the detriment of the narrative clarity. Furthermore, the horror elements are not always neatly integrated, with a gruesome, innard-ripping fight towards the end abruptly reintroducing a more graphic terror.
Despite this, The Thing with Feathers is undoubtedly one of the most cathartic and unusual cinema experiences of the year. Its theatrical roots—the story was also successfully adapted for the stage starring Cillian Murphy—are evident, but the film's boldness is striking. You will not see anything else quite like it this year.
The Thing with Feathers is in UK and Irish cinemas from Friday, November 21.
