Title – H Is for Hawk (2025)

Director – Philippa Lowthorpe (Misbehaviour)

Cast – Claire Foy, Brendan Gleeson, Denise Gough, Sam Spruell

Plot – Based on the true story of academic Helen (Foy) who adopts a stubborn hawk called Mabel in the aftermath of her beloved father’s (Gleeson) untimely passing.  

“There will be a time where all this seems like a bad dream”

Review by Eddie on 18/06/2026

Philippa Lowthorpe’s BAFTA nominated adaptation of Helen MacDonald well-regarded autobiography is a softly spoken film, that once more showcases the immense talents of star Claire Foy but there’s a missing spark here that might have made H Is for Hawk a breakout hit it couldn’t manage to become.

Getting a rather unceremonious release in most territories late in 2025 and throughout early 2026, you’d be forgiven for not even knowing Lowthorpe’s film exists despite its recognisable cast, known story and backing from Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B, which is a shame as this inoffensive and perfectly adequate true-life drama is sure to appease many a viewer.

Telling a familiar story with a fresh spin, following Foy’s academic Helen who has recently lost her beloved father and finds potential solace in her new friendship with an adopted Goshawk she names Mabel, Hawk is a slow-paced film that forgoes anything that could be considered “big moments”, to instead focus in on the small things as Helen inwardly battles her grief while attempting to be the caregiver Mabel needs her to be.

It’s easy to see how some bigger moments and more narrative conflict/happenings could’ve benefited Hawk, which is a lovingly filmed feature thanks to Charlotte Bruus Christensen’s cinematography, as there are likely to be as many viewers that grow weary of Lowthorpe’s pedestrian approach as there are those that are enraptured by it.

What is always evident and undeniable throughout is the work of Foy, showcasing once more why she’s one of the best in the business and whether she’s working alongside her feathered friends or the likes of Brendan Gleeson or Sam Spruell, who are both underutilised by Lowthorpe, Foy is in top form here in a non-showy performance that asks her to mostly hold it all in and supress the emotions that her Helen is so hellbent on keeping under wraps.

In many ways an old-school mature aged focused drama that we don’t see a lot of anymore cinematically, Hawk (pardon the pun) never soars to grand heights but it’s a pleasant and sometime heartwarming journey dealing with many themes that will be familiar to most of us, reminding us all of the importance of seizing life and the moments we are gifted each day we are here.

Final Say –

An unassuming and workmanlike British autobiographical drama that is unable to completely break free of its shackles, H Is for Hawk is still a beautifully filmed feature that allows its main star time to shine once more in a central role.

3 pieces of steak out of 5