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Year One
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Hawk Is Dying, The
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 9 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 4 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Drama
Written by:
Julian Goldberger
Harry Crews (novel)
Directed by: Julian Goldberger
Release Date:
Theatrical: March 30, 2007
DVD: May 29, 2007
Running Time: 112 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: Not Rated
Starring Paul Giamatti, Michelle Williams, Michael Pitt, Karl Anthony, P.J. Lalka, Marc Macaulay, Rusty Schwimmer, and Robert Wisdom
George Gattling (Giamatti) finds little fulfillment as an auto upholsterer, the patriarch of a broken family, and the occasional lover of a lonely psychology student (Williams). When stricken with a family tragedy, George becomes obsessed with taming a wild, red-tail hawk. At his weakest moment, he locks himself into a battle of wills with a fierce creature that would rather die than succumb. (Strand Releasing)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
TV Guide Ken Fox
Goldberger, who made his debut with the similarly gritty and deliberately unpolished "Trans," tries to pull the novel's concerns to the surface, but much of its subtlety is lost. Giamatti, however, delivers yet another superb performance, turning what might have been a freak show into an unexpectedly moving experience.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Noel Murray
A fragile little movie, occasionally ridiculous, but with M. Night Shyamalan's "Lady In The Water," Giamatti proved that he can make even the weirdest material believable.
Read Full Review >New York Post Lou Lumenick
Not an easy movie to watch, and it's far from perfect - but it does have an artsy integrity and a fascinatingly intense performance by Paul Giamatti.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Nathan Lee
I won't pretend it makes for a happy night at the cinema, and it may require a leap of faith to succumb to Goldberger's spell. But I leapt, and found it enthralling up to the point where this legitimately weird movie capitulates to the most conventional catharsis. I'd rather watch Goldberger fail than a hundred others succeed.
Read Full Review >Film Threat Pete Vonder Haar
For all the effort Giamatti gives in making George a convincing character, the movie itself, never quite gets off the ground. The feel is too deliberately peculiar, and Goldberger's detached style never gives us a reason to invest ourselves in anyone but George.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis
Set in North Florida and based on a book by Harry Crews, The Hawk Is Dying is a dreary study of male angst groaning beneath the weight of its own symbolism.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman
Goldberger's stubbornly insular script - adapted from a novel by Harry Crews - might have fared better on stage, where the story would feel more contained than suffocating. But by the time you crawl across this finish line, you'll know just how those sluggish the birdsfeel.
Read Full Review >The Hollywood Reporter James Greenberg
Loaded with obtuse symbolism, the film is not only hard to understand, it isn't much fun trying to figure it out.
Read Full Review >Variety David Rooney
Already gasping for breath in its opening scenes, picture takes two bleak, unyielding hours to finally expire.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Tom T. gave it a10:
I thought this was a very beautiful and moving film. I loved the photography and all of the visual detalis. Paul Giamatti, Michelle Williams and Michael Pitt are all terrific in their roles, as is the supporting cast. I really felt I was in Florida with them, feeling the lead character's pain. The ending is beautiful.
