The Hawk Is Dying (2006)

Director:

Julian Goldberger

Writers:

Harry Crews (novel)
Julian Goldberger (writer)

Release Date:

9 July 2008 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A Gainesville Florida auto upholsterer (Giamatti) attempts to subvert his mundane life by training a wild, red-tailed hawk. |

Plot Keywords:

Gainesville Florida | Upholsterer | Hawk | Obsession | Drowning

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Paul Giamatti	...	George Gattling
Michelle Williams	...	Betty
Michael Pitt	...	Fred
Rusty Schwimmer	...	Precious
Robert Wisdom	...	Billy Bob
Ann Wedgeworth	...	Ma Gattling
Mark Campbell	...	Football Player
Ayana Rhoden	...	Girlfriend
Taylor Simpson	...	Gray Bony Lady
John Hostetter	...	Nebbish Professor
Steve DuMouchel	...	Marvin Hill
Katie Dixon	...	Young Female Undergrad
Veryl Jones	...	Ambulance Driver
Karl Anthony	...	Dr. Leep
Marc Macaulay	...	Alonzo

Runtime:

USA:112 min (Sundance Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | Netherlands:6

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Company:

Antidote Films (I)

Trivia:

The production schedule only allowed for 24 days of shooting.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The captured bird featured in the film is identified as a red tailed hawk. The bird shown in the film is most likely a Lanner Falcon.

Quotes:

Fred: You never have.

Movie Connections:

References "Aquaman" (1968)

Giamatti is at His Best

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.