The Hawk Is Dying

"The Hawk Is Dying" is a low-key gem.

George Gattling (Giamatti) has a boring life as an auto upholsterer. His hobby is training hawks. But most of his hawks die of starvation. When he finds another one, his goal is to not make it starve and get the respect of his family.

As usual, Giamatti puts in a great performance as George. You feel for his character instantly. You want him to succeed. Williams also does a good job as George's love interest. I can see why this movie was dumped onto DVD shelves. The movie has no commercial appeal. I think it's better that way. Perhaps people can discover this movie themselves.

"The Hawk Is Dying" is definitely worth watching.

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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.

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

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.

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.