The Hawk Is Dying

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.

"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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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.

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

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.