‘H Is for Hawk’ Review: Claire Foy’s Soars in Grief-Stricken Tale

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H Is for Hawk is a touching true story about a woman struggling with grief after her father’s unexpected death. Claire Foy delivers a powerful performance as a determined woman whose sorrow leads her to train a wild goshawk. While this pursuit gives her solace and a sense of direction, her increasingly isolated behavior worries those around her. The film, told through flashbacks and featuring stunning visuals, sensitively explores dealing with personal hardship and finding the courage to heal.

The story begins in Cambridge, England, in 2007. We meet Helen MacDonald (Foy) as she observes a pair of goshawks flying high above. She’s thrilled and immediately calls her father, Alisdair (Brendan Gleeson), a well-known photographer, to share what she’s seen. Alisdair, who instilled in Helen a love of nature and birds, was known for his bold spirit and dedication to his work. Helen’s mother (Lindsay Duncan) worried because he wouldn’t consider retiring.

Helen is back at work as a lecturer and has exciting prospects, including a prestigious fellowship in Germany. While preparing for dinner with her close friend Christina, she receives upsetting news about her mother. Devastated, Helen decides to honor her late father by purchasing a young goshawk. Though she has little experience with falconry, her friend and trainer, Stuart, warns her that goshawks are demanding and not like typical pets. Helen ignores his caution, names the bird Mabel, and wholeheartedly commits to caring for it.

Director Philippa Lowthorpe, who has a background in British television shows like The Other Boleyn Girl and Call the Midwife, brings Jackie Macdonald’s popular novel to the screen. Lowthorpe portrays Helen as a lively and sociable woman – she enjoys going to pubs with her students and has a romantic life. However, the sudden death of Alisdair profoundly affects her, slowly draining her spirit. Her withdrawal into a solitary life with Mabel is gradual, beginning with small things like driving his car and listening to his music – signs she’s struggling to move on. With the one person who truly understood her now gone, Helen is left wondering what her future holds and who she can turn to for support.


Roadside Attractions

Helen hides her inner struggles by focusing all her energy on caring for Mabel, a goshawk. Mabel is refusing to eat and isn’t settling into her new home, which deeply worries Helen. As Mabel loses weight, Helen starts to fall apart, neglecting her job, friends, and family. She prioritizes Mabel above everything else. Helen carefully holds Mabel during difficult training sessions, where the bird flaps wildly and cries out. Because goshawks see direct eye contact as a threat, Helen must stay nearby but protect her face. Her main goal is to gain Mabel’s trust, and these training moments are incredibly compelling.

The second part of H Is for Hawk strengthens the connection between Helen and her hawk, Mabel. While Helen is initially distressed when Mabel flies off, she’s relieved when the hawk returns at her call. This brings Helen a sense of peace she hasn’t felt since her father died. However, this positive development takes an unusual turn – Helen doesn’t simply return to her old life. Mabel becomes a constant companion, always perched on Helen’s arm – imagine bringing a hawk to work! At first, Helen’s friends and family are mildly entertained, but their amusement soon gives way to genuine concern.

Director Lowthorpe excels at capturing the details and scope of the story. She meticulously films Helen’s training of Mabel, with actress Foy constantly interacting directly with the bird, emphasizing Mabel’s size relative to Helen. The film also offers thrilling aerial views from Mabel’s perspective, showing her swift flight and precise hunting skills – the only thing bringing Helen joy as Mabel thrives. This creates a strong, yet unhealthy, bond between them. Helen increasingly relies on Mabel, and this dependence ultimately leads to negative consequences, as Helen loses interest in everything else and her life falls apart.


Roadside Attractions

Lowthorpe skillfully uses flashbacks to show Helen’s sadness, allowing the audience to meet Alisdair through her memories. Gleason and Foy share a lovely connection in memorable scenes throughout the story. Alisdair represented a constant source of hope for Helen, and losing him left her feeling lost and without direction. Helen needs to acknowledge her unhappiness and then find healthy ways to cope with it. While Mabel offers some help, Helen ultimately needs to find strength within herself – a key message powerfully conveyed in H Is for Hawk.

I’m really excited for the movie H Is for Hawk! I heard it’s a Plan B Entertainment production, and it’s getting a small release in December to be considered for awards. Then, Roadside Attractions will release it nationally on January 23, 2026, so we all get to see it then!

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2025-11-28 23:10