Andrea Arnold (American Honey, Fish Tank) returns to her roots with contemporary coming of age fable Bird, her first narrative feature since 2016’s American Honey. Young Bailey (gifted newcomer Nykiya Adams) is a girl on the edge, living in a squat with her charming but irresponsible dad Bug (Barry Keoghan) and her half-siblings. Bug is fixated on his latest get rich quick scheme involving hallucinogenic toads and Bailey's mother Peyton (Jasmine Jobson) has a terrifying violence-prone new boyfriend, so the kids spend most of their time roaming the neighbourhood— which is how Bailey meets the eccentric stranger looking for his birth family, Bird (Franz Rogowski). When Bug announces his plans to marry a woman he’s known only a handful of months, Bailey struggles to find her own path forward even with nobody in her corner.

Bird may sound like a kitchen-sink drama, but Arnold immerses us in a child's view of the world with the potential for adventure that belies the undercurrent of violence and deprivation. The Fish Tank writer-director begins in familiar territory before expanding into something quite special, an almost mystic and allegorical swing that elevates us beyond reality. Despite the tough subject matter Arnold retains a lightness of touch, displaying the utmost care for her complex characters doing their best to survive in post-austerity England, and is rewarded with captivating performances from her cast. Fragile and lovely, Bird carries a sweet optimism that makes it a deeply rewarding experience.