The Bird (L’Oiseau)

The Bird was written and directed by Yves Caumon and it is the focus of a woman named Anne (Sandrine Kiberlain) who is a loner and fairly mysterious.  She secludes herself from the world and performs the same routine over and over again.

The film is very depressing and within the first ten minutes you can predict it’s going to be sad, especially in the beginning as there are no words spoken whatsoever, which triggers the sombre mood for the rest of the film.

Sandrine Kiberlain does a great job playing Anne.  Viewers can see the mysterious, sad emotion in her face throughout.  Anne, who works in a kitchen at a restaurant, sticks to her task in silence and rarely speaks to other employees.  One of her colleagues, Raphael (Clement Sibony), tries to talk to Anne but never has any success.  Anne finds an excuse to avoid interaction with other people throughout the film.

One example that magnifies the depression Anne is going through is when she avoids an employees’ party to go to a movie by herself.  At the movie, something eventful finally happens.  Anne, in tears during the movie, keeps making eye contact with the unknown man. The strange interactions between the man and Anne continue and the man finally asks her what she wants.  With a surprising answer, Anne says that she just wants to get to know the man.  They go out and this leads to contact between them, which is strange and Anne doesn’t react at all.  She shows no emotions and she doesn’t even respond when he kisses her. 

The reason for the title The Bird, is told halfway through the movie when Anne acts on this noise she hears in the walls that has been driving her nuts and causing her to lose sleep.  She finally gathers some courage and takes a hammer to the wall.  She discovers that it is a bird.  The bird is mysterious itself, and it symbolises the life of Anne.  Anne, who keeps her self confined in her house, needs to go out into the world and learn how to fly again. 

Overall, The Bird is a decent movie, but it is really depressing.  It is filmed in Bordeaux, France, and provides some beautiful scenery in parts of the film.  Also, Sandrine Kiberlain does a nice job portraying this sad and lonely character.  There are a lot of questions throughout the film.  Some go unanswered and the answered ones aren’t completely explained.  Even the ending is unclear, and you just kind of assume that it is a happy ending.  If you want to watch a sad and depressing movie, then The Bird is a good movie for you.  

Clifton Graves 

The Bird (L’Oiseau) is released in selected cinemas on 17^th August 2012.

Watch the trailer for The Bird (L’Oiseau) here: