Overview
- Dylan Southern’s adaptation of Max Porter’s 2015 novella Grief Is the Thing With Feathers opened in UK cinemas on 21 November.
- Benedict Cumberbatch stars as a recently widowed father of two and has said he drew on his own emotions to portray the chaos of grief.
- Critics single out Cumberbatch as the standout, with several reviews arguing the surrounding drama and horror elements feel less persuasive.
- The story manifests grief as a towering crow voiced by David Thewlis with physical performance by Eric Lampaert, a device some reviewers find strained.
- Cumberbatch, also a producer, has emphasized the film’s refusal to sanitize bereavement, and he recounted working with real crows on set for key moments.