The Birdcatcher (2019) User Reviews

Has good points but the 4.8 rating is fair

[adrianw-16 · 5/10 · 29 January 2020]

Another film where it's hard to make sense of polarised viewers giving it very high or very low ratings. I always attend a Holocaust Memorial Day screening a local cinema, so I was disposed to give it a chance and make up my own mind. On the plus side, there's striking photography (as some reviews have stated); some originality in the Norwegian location; and interesting themes in relation to how people there responded to the Nazi occupation.

But as another reviewer says, it has: "An interesting premise plagued by implausible plot elements... ". Within minutes, I wondered if I'd misunderstood that Esther is supposed to be 14, as she looked far too old. IMDB indicates she was 28 when it was filmed. It doesn't matter that she's a good actress - a 28 year old won't be credible as a 14 year old child, so why cast her! We soon see a succession of scenes that are impossible to take seriously, or ramp up the melodrama far too high. In fact there's so much going on in the central family - in relation to their internal conflicts and their attempts to 'manage' relations with their occupiers - that the film might have worked better and more coherently without Esther even being in it!

A shame, though, because if someone had refined the screenplay, and the director has reined in some of the more ridiculous moments, it could potentially have been a very good film.

Watchable

[davyd-02237 · 6/10 · 5 March 2021]

Norway isn't an area that our home knows a great deal about, so it was surprising that some of their folk during WW2 actually supported Nazi Germany. I would suggest it unlikely that 1 young female would go through so much on her own. However, this pulls no punches as to how difficult is was for any jewish person living in Norwegian society during the war. In this case, we have a young girl hiding out in on a farm, the lead actress doing a very good job with her part. The ending is, perhaps, a surprise and possibly unlikely. Perhaps you will take a serious look at this movie which tells one story of a young womans struggle without any involvement of "Hollywood", it has a "no holds barred" approach to some of the realities of war. Nazi Germany had much to answer for.

A very good film

[Gordon-11 · 11 April 2020]

This film tells a heart breaking story set during a Nazi occupied Norway. It tells the story of a brave girl who tries very hard to survive. It is easy to feel sympathetic towards Esther. Even the supporting characters are well developed, and I really feel for Aksel and his parents. In short, it is a very engaging and touching story. It is beautifully shot as well. I recommend this film wholeheartedly.

This Anglo-Norwegian production tells the story of Esther (SarahSofie Boussnina)

[babybuletgani · 4/10 · 2 November 2019]

This Anglo-Norwegian production tells the story of Esther (SarahSofie Boussnina), a 14-year-old Jewish orphan in Germanoccupied Norway during WW2. Disguising herself as a Gentile boy, she seeks refuge with a collaborationist family. Serious suspension of disbelief is required to accept the heroine's masquerade, while emotional resonance is diluted by a streak of melodrama.

Doesnt fell right

[paulwattriley · 1/10 · 6 October 2019]

Ive watched loads of WW2 and holocaust movies and this one doenst feel right its feels to modern. The girl walking about with what appears to be a military back pack. Lots of pointless scenes. Extremely far fetched and unbelievable. Doesnt pass as a boy and too old to even attempt to try. Clearly written by someone who doesnt think to hard

ANOTHER EPIC FAIL

[bloogi · 1/10 · 5 October 2019]

Atrocious plot, bad acting, cinematography was garbage and the writing was just awful. Another waste of time and piece of drivel from non-original non-thinkers.

In Defense of The Birdcatcher

[Moviegoer19 · 9/10 · 1 February 2020]

No, Esther did not really look like a boy, and a few other details were not totally realistic, but so what? Overall I found The Birdcatcher effective and I was engrossed from beginning to end. Often when watching films it's necessary to suspend disbelief and some films require it more than others. During the Holocaust, Jews did anything they could to not be captured by the Nazis. They were hunted prey. Some of the survival stories are hard to believe yet they happened. Imagine living in a sewer for a couple of years. Or a forest, or a crawl space.

The cinematography was excellent with gorgeous shots of Norway in winter. The plot which is based on a true story is, as I said, engrossing. There is some fine acting too. It's definitely worth watching unless you're into movies like Deadpool or Guardians of the Galaxy.

Unconvincing

[stefanbabicki · 2/10 · 28 July 2021]

The old cliche of 14 year old girl(going on 30) cutting her hair and being taken for a boy doesn't work. The plot, narrative and overall feel of the film appears fake. Have the people involved in this film never seen an authentic portrayal of the Jewish situation in WW2. Or did they take little bits from all over the place and mash them up hoping for the best Very poorly made movie. Unconvincing, uninvolving and occasionally embarrassing.

Watched 20 minutes and gave up.

[antique-modern · 19 October 2019]

I am fussy about detail....When the girl jumps off the truck in the middle of winter and falls into a river...she gets to shore and throws her wet coat away and walks away in the cold soaking wet and not even a chill...Dry hair blowing in the wind..

Terrible

[svader · 3/10 · 9 April 2020]

10 mins in had to switch off !!

The lead is supposed to be .young girl yet looks 35 and is played by an actor in her late 20s. Daft

A different era!

[info-75439 · 5/10 · 4 October 2019]

Before Millennials and Baby Boomers there was the Silent Generation. This film is a reflection of their past...

An engrossing and moving story, gracefully told...

[ojaydart · 8/10 · 5 November 2020]

A completely different kind of WW2 drama, The Bird Catcher is an eloquent, elegant film. Esther is a Norwegian Jewish teen from the picturesque town of Trondheim, who dreams of becoming an actress. Escaping a brutal Nazi roundup,, she finds a strange, tense refuge on a farm that will soon require her to make use of all her talents in order to survive. But many other characters also struggle to survive their own nightmares - the Nazi collaborating farmer, his dysfunctional family and decadent German officers occupying the farm. Parts of the plot might be labelled predictable, but were really just inevitable. The quality of acting and directing kept me involved right through to the poignant ending that spoke of forgiveness and compassion.

Would have rated it 7 as a teen

[borgolarici · 5/10 · 24 January 2021]

... but sadly I'm an adult. This movie is basically an empowering tale for teen girls, and a rather contrived one at that, but it's aesthetically pleasing and well acted. It's also too implausible for an adult to really enjoy it.

Everything about this is FAKE!

[nexxoexxon · 14 February 2020]

The history, timeline and culture of this movie did not seem fitting. It seems all too conveniently made up and some stolen ideas out of Europa Europa which is the one of the greatest movie ever made. The main lead character is just looks stupid and unrelatable. At times she act like a snobby bitch when the people who took her in treats her like family. Sorry but I didn't feel any sympathy for her character. The only person I had somewhat of a connection was the cheating wife who's going through a marriage crises and the disabled son. The ending didn't work either. It felt cut and dry. I don't recommend this.

Flat storyline

[ks-60500 · 4/10 · 10 September 2020]

Seldom watch a movie almost no peak. History movie be treated will be better. For acting perspective, I didn't think it is impressive. Just a scary little woman by all time and she didn't get my attention at all.

Horrible casting

[steveniemi-89906 · 3/10 · 4 March 2023]

The idea for the story is quite good, albeit not unique. Girl on the run disguises herself as a boy to mask her identify.

But that's where it ends. Just a good idea poorly executed.

Try to forget for a moment that Sarah-Sofie Boussnina (who plays Ester aka Ola) is a female. A real, feminine looking and acting female. Well, you can't. She looks like a girl (even with her short hair in 1942) and she speaks like a girl. All her mannerisms and affectations are feminine. A boy of her age, in 1942 Norway would not have gone into the kitchen to help the wife with kitchen prep. Today? Yes, certainly but not in rural 1940's Scandinavia.

Great scenery, some good period-correct props, and... that's about it.

Don't believe that rating, very well made

[vovers1 · 8/10 · 19 October 2019]

Great story, great mix of emotion with plot, a real soft spoken hero with a heart of steel. It is not romanticised, it shows how events can shake people as people shape events and reveals some dark history. Watch it.

I found a new actress

[unclefungus-85106 · 9/10 · 18 May 2022]

Although the movie has many complications with the story line and reality.

The main character Sarah-Sofia Boussnina, captivated my attention. In my opinion I thought she was strikingly beautiful and her performance was intense and riveting. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It was definitely an escape from the satan infested movies that have overcome Hollywood.

INSPIRATIONAL

[kazelliott-30955 · 8/10 · 9 December 2021]

A young Jewish girl, against seemingly insurmountable odds, survives the war disguised as a boy. The film portrays her as a young woman of immense courage and determination - and it is brought home to the viewer precisely what someone in her position might have had to endure. A beautiful, sad and thought-provoking film..worth far higher a score than it received.

Very beautiful film, about a dark period in History

[heatherbendall · 9/10 · 5 October 2019]

I totally watched this movie on a whim without having heard anything about it, or read any reviews. I loved it! I absolutely love films about WW2. There are soooo many different stories that are yet to be told, so I get excited when I see a new film/ a new perspective of this absolutely devastating time in history. I think it's so important that these stories be told, as sad and tragic as they may be. I thought the cinematography was beautiful and the lead actress did a fantastic job- I will keep my eye on her in other films. I was really surprised by the low rating, so I gave it a 9/10 because I thoroughly enjoyed watching and engaged the entire length of the film, and hope more people watch this tragic but beautiful story.

Wonderfully acted and executed

[professorjeffreypbrown · 9/10 · 15 May 2020]

An engaging and intriguing film about a well known genre, yet one that takes a unique spin. We know of the persecution of the Jews, but little about the details of their plight, and even less so about those in Scandinavia. A young woman who loses her parents has to fend for herself in the bitter winter of Norway. She decides to take cover, cuts her hair and poses as a boy. She befriends a boy and is allowed to stay on boys father's farm. Then story collapses when the boy's father commits suicide because the German's have commandeered his farm, his wife has cuckolded him, and he finds out that his son's friend is not only a girl but a Jew. The story shows the precariousness of life for anyone under Nazi regime, a life in which the subjugated are always in danger of losing it all at any moment, Jew or non Jew. Well acted, paced, and presented. Thoroughly enjoyed it

Beautifully told story about a horrible time

[gord_muir · 8/10 · 11 October 2019]

This is very good movie. It should be rated much higher than IMDB shows.

From the great acting, which immerses you in the time and this particular story, to the incredible camera work and scenery, this is top notch.

I highly recommend you watch this and see for yourself how good.

The characters are believable. It is told in a bit of a fanciful way at times, with flash forwards and dream like montages. Very creative and imaginative.

I Recommend This Movie

[abih-40449 · 8/10 · 19 June 2022]

True stores always have a way of cutting through the fallacy of of what Hollywood and what it overseers hope us all to believe. That's way I'm a big fan of truth telling. Oh I know liberties are taken by screenwriters and others but the core of the story still rings true in most stories. I found this movie to be enlighten well acted. Sometimes the unwillingness of some in the world to except truth as it is written becomes a hard pill to swallow but the movie The Birdcatcher goes down easy as easy as the reality it is based upon. I loved this movie and the message it sends especially to the critics who continue no to be who they really are.

Frighteningly Applicable

[dmv3113 · 9/10 · 19 February 2021]

This movie rocked my husband and I to the core. It is a powerful depiction of a people being taken over by evil forces. The acting is superb. Yes, it WAS a stretch that such a delicate featured and pretty girl passed herself off as a boy, and yes, she probably would have frozen, but suspend reality for the sake of story and you might see OUR near future. The depiction of the different ways different characters deal with the invasion is masterful. There are many moments of brutal honesty, brilliantly portrayed. And the resolution is very gratifying - what growth, what strength came from going through such traumas until the inner beauty matches the outer. Holding back one star for those times we had to say, "That would never happen." But still- Highly recommend!!!

Such a moving, beautiful story of resilience.

[heather-711-758672 · 10/10 · 7 October 2019]

I really loved this film - the story was original (yes, you've seen WWII films before, but this was based on true events and a different sort of tale than you've heard before) and gave viewers a different perspective into what it must have been like in that time. The film was beautifully cast; each character was so believable. The story kept moving and had me on the edge of my seat. There was no completely happy ending to be had here, but regardless, I liked the way this story resolved. It was truly a tough job very well done by director Ross Clarke - Makes me want to see more of his work in the future!

The Birdcatcher is Definitely worth a watch !

And continue to support indie film!!!