Grief and art have gone hand in hand for millennia, as humans have long used painting, writing, singing, and filmmaking as an outlet for expressing and feeling some of the most difficult emotions known to humankind. Works about grief and loss are definitely nothing new and seemingly going nowhere, for films like When the Light Breaks, Coco, Ikiru, and A Ghost Story have transcended genre and period to reach a variety of audiences. One such new film that explores the throbbing and isolating process of grieving is The Thing with Feathers —a highly anticipated title that premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
What Is ‘The Thing With Feathers’ About?

The Thing With Feathers is based on the novella, Grief Is the Thing with Feathers, by Max Porter. The film is written and directed by Dylan Southern and stars Benedict Cumberbatch, who portrays a character known only as “Dad” — a recent widower and father to two young sons (known as “The Boys”) who have just lost their mother to a disturbing and accidental death. Cumberbatch’s “Dad” is an artist from London who creates and illustrates graphic novels, and he uses his art as an outlet to express his utter agony while simultaneously trying to continue raising his sons in the most normal way possible. He struggles to sleep, speak, and find the new “normal” for his small family; things only become darker when a frenzied crow forcibly enters his household, only for the creature to transform into something much more sinister.
The crow in question reveals its true form– — metamorphosing into a dark and feathered humanoid beast, looming over the mourning man intimidatingly – a macabre depiction of grief. When Grief speaks, its beak doesn’t move, but a deep, sinister voice rumbles out of the creature’s throat. It mocks the man, taunting him about his anguish and leering in the face of his pain. It laughs at the way he struggles to father his children while he navigates this loss, assuring the man that he is going nowhere soon — he’ll have to learn to live alongside Grief. The father and his sons may leave the house to attend the wake, visit family for holidays, or attend therapy sessions, but as soon as they reenter the walls of their home and night falls over the domicile, the giant Corvus is more than delighted to reappear and continue its torture.
The portrayal of Grief is a magnificently disturbing one: a tall, looming figure, bent over crookedly, its puppet head twitching and blinking. A mix of practical effects and CGI was used to bring the crow to life, and the combination of these elements helps to heighten reality and really sell the presence of this dreaded being. Its voice booms, its weight shakes rooms, and its feathers wrap around the widower, prompting a sick sort of dance. These visuals are upsetting and effective, creating anxiety and a certain perverted fascination with watching this family and their unwanted intruder push through each day. This version of Grief is loud, overwhelming, and obnoxious; it’s an annoying attention-seeker even. No matter what, it demands to be felt, seen, and heard.
‘The Thing With Feathers’ Is a Profound Yet Harrowing Watch

Image Via Sundance Film Festival

The Thing with Feathers boasts an effective and impressive cast, with David Thewlis lending his voice to Crow in a goosebump-inducing performance. The two young boys are portrayed by siblings Richard and Henry Boxall, who give authentic and endearing performances in their own right, impressive not only as child actors but as actors in general. Most notable though, is Benedict Cumberbatch’s disturbingly impressive portrayal of a grieving father, desperate and suffering through the mourning stages. His performance is subtle and raw in the quieter moments, but he is still able to fully commit to and sell the more outlandish choices the film makes.
Although the film veers into unexpected territory at one point — experimenting with visuals, themes, and narrative — it still comes across as incredibly genuine. This diversion, though, is sure to lose a few viewers as the line between reality and fiction is blurred in an otherwise quite straightforward tale that’s nestled in reality outside of one family’s own physical manifestations. Although only boasting a 98-minute runtime, the pacing and repetitive nature of the script can grate the story to a halt at times. Despite this, the film should be celebrated for swinging for the fences and going all-out in its meandering dark and dreary adaptation.
Anyone who has had an experience with loss will most likely deeply resonate with The Thing with Feathers; they’re up for a harrowing and distressing, yet somewhat cathartic viewing. The film obviously dances on the premise of tender subject matter, and though it is not overtly graphic in its depiction of death, it’s disturbing all the same. Crow/Grief will make audiences squirm in unease and seethe in hatred, as they are meant to. Loss and the suffering that comes with it is such a unifying and collective human experience — a terrible one, but an experience that is universally relatable nonetheless. This mix of horror, comedy, and drama is by no means perfectly executed; in fact it’s somehow uneven and simultaneously monotonous under its chaotic blanket of blatant profundity, but couldn’t the same be said about grief?

The Thing with Feathers

An uneven but still compelling look at the darkness of grief.

Release Date

January 25, 2025

Director

Dylan Southern

Writers

Dylan Southern

Pros & Cons

Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance is devastatingly haunting, and is responsible for much of the film’s immersion.
The film’s practical effects aid in creating some stunning visuals that truly sell the premise.

Despite the only 98-minute runtime, the intentionally slow pacing can begin to grate.
The film falls into a repetitive rut multiple times throughout, creating a chaotic yet monotonous tone-to its detriment.