Newcomer Nykiya Adams triumphs as Bailey, commingling edginess, tenderness, and introspection; so do Barry Keoghan, whose Bug is as big-hearted and droll as he is hapless, and Rogowski, who delivers Bird’s stoic poise with a wispy softness.

Bird frequently feels as if we’re in an extended vignette where we’re tagging along for a ride with no beginning, middle or end.

This film is an interesting shift for the director in that it adds magical realism to the social realism that underpins previous works such as Fish Tank (2009) and American Honey (2016).

In its blend of poetry, delirium, and social commentary, the film confirms that Arnold's cinema remains fertile ground for experimentation, even if, this time, the flight doesn't always reach the expected heights. [Full review in Spanish]