Birdeater

2023
1h 53m

IMDb RATING

5.4/10

552

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer0:33

A bride-to-be is invited to her fiancé's bachelor party, but when uncomfortable details of their relationship are exposed, the night takes a feral turn.A bride-to-be is invited to her fiancé's bachelor party, but when uncomfortable details of their relationship are exposed, the night takes a feral turn.A bride-to-be is invited to her fiancé's bachelor party, but when uncomfortable details of their relationship are exposed, the night takes a feral turn.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.4/10

552

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

2,353

1,704

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 3 wins & 1 nomination total

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
"Who do you want to spend the rest of your life with", is what Sam whispers to Irene during the game of Paranoia. Revealed by the directors on the Blu-Ray commentary.

Quotes
Dylan: I didn't wanna do this but I was asked to, so..Louie and Irene.
Dylan: Cheers. Thanks, Dylan. Thank you, mate.
Dylan: I love Louie. We all love Louie, yeah? And, um, we are gathered here tonight to memorialise, to adios, as they say, to the man we once knew. A passionate low grade sportsman, only solo, never in a team. He didn't wanna rely on others when he could just fuck things up for himself. Academically, he was notorious for being unremarkable. Louie couldn't say he was smart, you know, he wasn't dumb either. He's just. You're just fucking there, aren't ya? He didn't get invited to many parties either but when he did, he would enjoy laughing at jokes he didn't hear. Fucking stealing people's beers just to pick at the label. Then he'd just leave without saying goodbye to the boys. Uh, but, you know, against all odds, he wasn't embarrassed to be this way, you know. That's how, Louie wanted things. He wanted to hide in plain sight. He had a moderate size porn collection. Haha, wait a minute. I'm joking. Louie doesn't watch any porn.
Louie: Good one, Dylan.
Dylan: You know, as it was, everyone knew Louie like they knew me and Charlie. We came as three. Even when we weren't together. Nah, Charlie was the smart one, I was the funny one and Louie was the nice one. Together we made one interesting person. So, uh, that was that. I like to think Louie and I really came together on two separate occasions. The first time being on Year 10 camp. You know, we went back to the cabin..
Louie: Uh, Dylan, we're not gonna do that story, mate. We can't do that story.
Dylan: Haha, yeah. You're right. Too silly, Louie. Too silly for dinner... The second time was at my house and we went on..
Louie: Dylan, mate. Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, let's just speed this up, hey?
Dylan: Okay. Okay. Okay, Louie. Okay. Okey dokey. What should we talk about then? Mmm? You know sometimes in life, a man's lucky enough to get something that he really wants. You know, like, really get it. And if he doesn't, the next best thing is seeing his best mate get it, so here we are.
Charlie: Yep, here we are.
Dylan: A man of his word.
Charlie: His word indeed.
Louie: Thank you, Dylan. Thank you very much mate.
Dylan: I'm gonna fuck that girl by the end of the night, I promise you both. That's what Louie said to us the first time he saw Irene. Johann's birthday. Party at the beach. Really scenic. Waves. Sand. Seagulls. It was beautiful. Oh, and Louie, he didn't even know who she was but he wanted her. She didn't even know who she was there with, if she was available, but old Louie wanted her. And then Irene got drunk, like really drunk. And Louie was sober. In fact, a clever onlooker might have been able to tell you that old Louie over here was a bit more generous when pouring the drinks for his new best friend Irene than he was when he was pouring those drinks for himself. And in the end, hey! That's the first time Louie fucked Irene. Hey? Or shouldn't I have said that.

User reviews12

Review

Featured review

An unflinching portrayal of uncomfortable truths

Birdeater throws Irene (Shabana Azeez) headfirst into a nightmare. What starts as a bucks weekend getaway for her fiancé Louie (Mackenzie Fearnley) and his mates quickly spirals into something far more sinister. The film cleverly avoids revealing its hand too early, building an atmosphere of dread laced with dark humour as the true intentions behind the trip become clear.

Birdeater courageously delves into the dark side of masculinity. The blokey camaraderie on display curdles into something toxic, fueled by excessive drinking, questionable decisions, and a pervasive sense of entitlement. The film reminded me a bit of Wake in Fright, another Australian classic that explores similar themes (there's an explicit reference to it in one scene if you watch carefully). But Birdeater injects a healthy dose of surrealism into the mix. Think of waking dreams and hallucinations that blur the lines between reality and psychosis.

The performances are solid, with Azeez holding her own as the increasingly isolated Irene. She believably conveys a growing sense of fear and confusion as the weekend unravels. The rest of the cast falls into familiar archetypes - the loudmouth larrikin, the nervous follower, and the quiet observer. While they're effective in creating an unsettling group dynamic, there's not a lot of room for nuance in their portrayals.

The real star of the film is the editing. It's sharp and frenetic, mirroring Irene's escalating anxiety. Fast cuts and jarring transitions create a sense of unease, leaving you perpetually on edge. The camerawork is similarly effective, often lingering on unsettling close-ups or lingering on empty spaces, adding to the overall sense of dread.

The film's greatest strength lies in its atmosphere. The Australian outback becomes a character in itself, vast and unforgiving. The use of colour is particularly interesting. The initial scenes are bathed in warm, golden hues, suggesting a sense of normalcy that quickly gives way to a cold, sterile palette as the weekend takes a dark turn.

However, Birdeater's plot takes a while to get going, and some of the dream sequences felt a little indulgent. The ending, while ambiguous, left me wanting a bit more resolution.

Overall, Birdeater is a compelling, albeit uneven, film. It's a slow burn that will stay with you long after the credits roll, thanks to its chilling portrayal of a toxic relationship and its exploration of the darker aspects of masculinity. If you're looking for something atmospheric and thought-provoking, Birdeater is worth a watch. But if you crave a clear-cut narrative and a satisfying resolution, you might want to steer clear. I walked away feeling unsettled but impressed by the film's visual style and its unflinching portrayal of uncomfortable truths.