Blackbird

A woman gathers her family together before ending her life in the face of a cruel terminal illness.

While it's not without its poignant moments, this is not a movie to be in the middle of viewing without a content warning, and knowing the plot of "Blackbird" doesn't necessarily make it easier to watch. Perhaps the dialogue is at fault, but an awkward self-consciousness leaves the characters insufficiently filled out, and it's a struggle to adequately engage with them. The talented cast grapple to inhabit their roles and often look like they're pretending the matriarch's death isn't happening rather than acting like it is. Blackbird bye-bye.

Limited Release 25th February 2021
Icon Films 98 mins