“The Hawk Is Dying”

There’s media buzz about a new low-budget drama film being screened at the Sundance Film Festival, “The Hawk Is Dying”.

Paul Giamatti stars as a guy who continues to pursue his interest in “falconry,” despite the fact that he’s simply no good at it, and has even killed a few birds in the process. Perhaps I’m going only on the great cast and the enjoyably bizarre-sounding premise, but this is one I’ll be looking out for. Co-starring in the Julian Goldberger film are Michelle Williams, Michael Pitt, Robert Wisdom, Rusty Schwimmer and Ann Wedgeworth. (Yes, “Lana” from Three’s Company.)

(JoBlo)

Ouch.

I’d like to say that “falconry is not therapy”, but that would be a lie. I know of someone whose doctor has prescribed falconry as an activity.

But I think that falconers do take note of apprentices whose birds, in general, don’t seem to live long, and the tendency is not toward a supportive, “Hey, that could happen to anyone.” If there is some group of people who get more critical of others in the same pastime, I haven’t encountered it.