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37 out of 48 people found the following review useful: Giamatti is at His Best, 25 January 2006 Author: wmjaho from Park City
In The Hawk is Dying, Paul Giamatti plays George Gattling, a single guy who owns an auto upholstery store and lives with his divorced sister Precious (Rusty Schwimmer) and her mentally handicapped son Fred (Michael Pitt). George is infatuated with birds of prey and is almost single-mindedly committed to training one. However, his past efforts have failed, much to his public embarrassment, and the movie opens with Fred holding a private funeral for a recently deceased hawk.George and Fred finally trap another bird, this an exquisite red-tailed hawk. His challenge is to get it to eat so it will stay alive, no small challenge to a wild hawk suddenly in captivity. Saving the hawk becomes an objective Gattling tenaciously clings to despite tragic circumstances he is forced to endure. This is one plum role for Giamatti and he plays it to perfection. The movie might not play to a large audience, but Giamatti's performance is once-again Oscar worthy.Without getting too esoteric, the Hawk is Dying is a powerful metaphor. We do find things—hobbies, interests, relationships and activities—that bring passion to our lives, define who we are and give us a reason to endure. These pursuits can take on a life of their own, providing almost mystical enchantment and meaning to our otherwise humdrum existence.One can argue that Hawk moves slowly, that there isn't any meaningful action, that the relationships are … unusual. All those things are true. This is a flawed movie and certainly open to criticism. But Giamatti is so good, and his single-minded pursuit so compelling, that it's a movie you won't want to miss.
33 out of 43 people found the following review useful: A mystic film, 25 May 2006 Author: jfcousin2001 from Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
This American feature film is not starring Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise or Jack Nicholson or Julia Roberts or Cameron Diaz. This American feature film does not take place a big city. And you won't see big cars, big money, big guns, crude sex or kung fu fighting or murders with ice-picks. Then what's left ? Well…picture a typical American family…no don't.The "family" is composed of a man, George, living with his overweight sister abandoned by her stupid husband who couldn't bear bringing up an autistic son. Oh. I forgot to add the family pet : a not yet domesticated red tailed hawk. And that's the point : George tries to domesticate the hawk at all costs. So what is the hawk ? That is the question you'll have to answer by yourself. A fascinating film with excellent playing from the main actor as well as beautiful photography throughout the film.This has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with your regular Hollywood dung. Answer this : are you willing to watch something different, something beautiful and mystic with no masticated answers shoved down your throat ?
15 out of 16 people found the following review useful: not for all audiences but intriguing nonetheless, 19 July 2007 Author: Roland E. Zwick (magneteach@aol.com) from United States
At what point, in a person's mind, does obsession finally turn to madness? That seems to be the question raised by "The Hawk is Dying," a grimly depressing yet strangely compelling film about a man possibly being pushed towards insanity by the bizarre, sudden death of the mentally retarded nephew he helped to raise.The always intriguing Paul Giamatti plays George Gattling, a single man who lives with his sister and her teenage son near Gainesville, Florida. Gattling is determined to capture a wild hawk and train it to do his bidding, despite the fact that all his earlier efforts in that direction have resulted in tragic failures. After his nephew somehow drowns in his own waterbed when he is with a local prostitute (whom Gattling set him up with), Gattling begins to slip further and further into apparent madness, cutting himself off from family members and friends and becoming ever more obsessed with taming the hawk he has captured.This is no easy film for the casual moviegoer to sit through. It is harsh, grim and depressing, and we're not always sure what the overall purpose of the film is at any given moment. Still, paradoxically, it is this very air of enigma, coupled with Giamatti'a bravura, tour-de-force performance, that most gives one reason to check the movie out. Giamatti is totally riveting as a man driven by an almost manic need to establish control over another living creature, even if that means relinquishing the hold on his own sanity a bit to do so. He receives superb support from Rusty Schwimmer as his good-hearted but dimwitted sister, and Michelle Williams as the prostitute strangely embroiled in the boy's mysterious death. And writer/director Julian Goldberger, basing his work on the novel by Harry Crews, makes the most of the rural, exotic setting to help create an otherworldly mood for his bizarre little tale."The Hawk is Dying" is not for every taste or audience demographic, but for those searching for something a little different, out-of-the-mainstream and challenging, this one just might fit the bill.
17 out of 22 people found the following review useful: beautiful movie, 6 May 2007 Author: yes-curious from United States
I just saw this movie in Los Angeles in quite a limited screening. I was compelled to go as a Crews fan, yet this movie surpassed my expectations. Julian Goldberger is now one of my favorite directors and I believe this movie is brilliant. Beautifully shot with incredible hand held cinematography, a lush setting where "nature was a character"and a deep commitment to humanism and the complex feelings of love and meaning, this film truly resonates within the individual. The idea of how we relate to the day to day, to the absurd, to nature and the wild are just some of the things I loved about the movie. The setting was magical as the bird. I felt the wild, I felt the loneliness, I felt the love and the music of the earth. Giamatti(amazingamazing),Williams(really good), Schwimmer, Wisdom, Pitt, MacCaulay all were attop form; they portrayed the true characters and the realism that makes Crews so attractive. I found myself unbelievably moved at the sadness and joy and everything in between. This movie is so layered in good flimmaking, I could go on and on...from the players, the director, the incredible sound (THE SOUND!!), and the unbelievable photography/cinematography. The screen adaptation is slightly different from the novel, but I believe it captures the largeness and smallness of our world and mysteries of life. It flows and the tension and release are palpable. Although this film was not well-received atSundance and, according to the QandA, most reviews dismal, I found thisrefreshing. So often what is outside the status quo is co-opted; themarginalized becomes the mainstream in a base and compromised position. I hate that people namedrop Harry Crews as a badge of cool, along with their silkscreened tshirts and overpriced jeans. I doubt that Jarmusch or Altman were well received at first either. Now they are listed on those "cool" folks myspace page. This movie should extend beyond all reviews; it stands as a strong work of art and an intelligent beautiful movie. The only reason I do not give it a 10 is because ...well I'm changing my vote to a 10. This ranks as one of my favorite movies of all time.
24 out of 38 people found the following review useful: Top Movie at Sundance, 26 January 2006 Author: mreamy from United States
I was lucky enough to catch this film last week at Sundance. Without hearing much buzz compared to other films, the big push on this film was a follow up to Director Julian Goldberger's "TRANS" which I have not seen. I only know the connection to be in "middle Florida" which I've spent some time in.I was completely blown away by this story... well acted, beautifully executed with terrific character development. The climax of this film for me to see Giamatti's character finally conquer the wild hawk and deal with his own demon's brought on a flush of emotion.This was my favorite film that I saw at Sundance and hope that it reaches wide release.
8 out of 9 people found the following review useful: A deep, evocative, and unique film., 17 January 2008 Author: Eric Belcastro from United States
Sometimes I see a film, that is so moving, so focused, that I remember it for years afterwords. Such films are few and far between, and I believe this is one of them. Paul Giamatti put something so personal into this role, so enchanting that it makes you sit on the edge of your seat and say "Yes! Something real!" and then you just sit back and feel connected with the flow of events, and his single-minded pursuit. It really was a touching experience, I feel like the director really brought something foreword that is worthy of being watched by people, and that is also a rarity in terms of the massive amount of output out there. I hope you all go out and watch this movie when your are in the mood for a lesson, and a moving experience.
19 out of 31 people found the following review useful: Intriguing, 24 January 2006 Author: Dan Cartwright from United States
Another film that showcases the talents of Paul Giamatti. I feel as though he may be one of the best actors of the early 20th century. Alone, his performance was worth the price of admission. His performance is award worthy. The film captures the ambiance of Alachua County Florida, and the director knew how to capture excellent performances from the cast (especially the hawks). See this film for the exceptional believability of the cast. Not a movie for crunching popcorn in, but a good film none the less. If I was to have anything negative at all to say about the film, is that it suffered from a lack of pacing at times. I will give it my highest rating - I felt as though I got my money's worth! Seen at Sundance 06 24 Jan
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Very captivating, 18 July 2008 Author: Christopher-Peznola from Boston
I started out, before I saw Sideways, as a skeptic of Giamatti's talent. After that film, I had to make a 180 on my view. He was exceptional. I've liked him a lot in most everything he's been in, but a Hawk is Dying is a work that I am sure he will always remember. This was a perfect film for his unique, everyday man, with enormous depth and complexity (like most of us everyday people).In this film, he and most of the other characters, give exceptional performances, in my opinion, because this was a small film. This film didn't have to conform to the Hollywood formula, so that millions of people can understand the plot, and get excited about the action or the comedy. This film was made for a smaller audience that likes to be treated like a thoughtful person, and enjoys escaping into another world. What this film did well was draw the audience into a world that it might never have seen, but it can identify with.I would recommend this film. Watch it without distraction and let it take you into a very interesting and captivating story about love, compassion and the frustration that comes with giving of yourself and then facing those others that did not, and will never understand what you have done. The complex emotions come through, without hyperbole or obvious references, inserted to make sure we don't miss the point. This is true film, a window into life experience, from other humans, like us, who live and feel and hurt and struggle.
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Obscure but captivating, 5 March 2008 Author: uk6strings-1 from The Twin Cities, Minnesota
The Hawk Is Dying centers around George Gattling, a man who doesn't feel like his life has any particular meaning or excitement, and as a remedy for his current state of affairs, he has been trying to train a hawk. Unfortunately every hawk he's tried to train has ended unsuccessfully with the hawk dying. Still, he tries again; only this time, as he takes on a new hawk, a tragedy occurs in his life. Now, this new hawk is not just a hobby of George's, it's now an obsession and a necessity for him to train this hawk.Paul Giamatti stars as George Gattling and is at the top of his game with this great but generally unsung performance. Giamatti really gives the role his all, putting so much energy and feeling into his performance and carries the entire film. His performance is significantly enhanced when you realize that he's doing all that on screen with a live hawk on his arm for most of the film! The rest of the film's cast is pretty good - not too special, but pretty good. Rusty Schwimmer leads the supporting charge as George's sister Precious, Michael Pitt does a good job with his role as George's autistic nephew Fred, and Michelle Williams does an alright job as Betty but leaves her performance a little bit wanting.The Hawk Is Dying is a good film overall, but is also definitely not going to be everyone's liking. Many who see this film will dismiss it "weird," and while I won't go as far as labeling it as such myself, you do have to read between the lines a little bit. Outside of Giamatti's awesome performance, the film's best feature is how it keeps the viewer guessing, staring at the screen, and ultimately having absolutely no clue where the film is headed. The Hawk Is Dying is also filmed in an admirable way. With much of the film shot at close range and by hand held cameras, The Hawk Is Dying is a hop, skip, and a jump away from looking like a high-quality home movie – which I know sounds bad, but it really isn't. The film does have a few disturbing scenes that I sure could have definitely gone without; but overall, The Hawk Is Dying is an interesting film and is recommendable simply for Giamatti's excellent performance.
2 out of 2 people found the following review useful: Warding off the buzzards, 10 February 2008 Author: Rogue-32 from L A.
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
If you read my reviews at all, you know how I feel about Giamatti, who can make anything believable if he chooses, and if you too are a fan, get your hands on a DVD of The Hawk Is Dying as soon as possible.Although it premiered at Sundance in 2006 and was shown at other festivals as well, the film is perfect for watching at home, in quiet solitude, because it's an extremely intimate experience. This isn't a by-the-numbers movie by a long shot, it's as far away from a Hollywood blockbuster as they come, and this is a very good thing. Paul plays George Gattling, a man driven nearly insane by his obsession with training a wild red-tailed hawk, a bird which has tremendous personal meaning to him, as he reveals in a stunning monologue deep into the film - he'd seen one ward off buzzards during an emotional-filled experience in his life, and of course the bird can be read as a metaphor, a method George employs to somehow gain control over something in his life, something transcendent and meaningful. The film is not preachy though, and some of the dialogue is very humorous - my favorite line is when Paul tells another guy, "You can't work a hawk if you're an asshole," or words to that effect. There are not a lot of characters in this movie but the ones we get are extremely well written and realized. Michael Pitt, always a stand-out, plays against type as George's autistic nephew, and Michelle Williams is perfect in her small but pivotal part. The DVD includes many omitted scenes, a lot of them with Michael Pitt (I think some of these should have been in the movie), and there is also a superb commentary with Paul, along with many other cool special features. It's available through half dot com at the best price, that's where I got mine.
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