In 13th century England, Catherine - or Birdy as she is known on account of her collection of pet birds - must deal with the challenges all young teenage girls face, albeit from a position of privilege. Whereas that gave an honest and often explicit look at the lives of a group of 20-something women, Catherine Called Birdy turns its attention to female adolescence. There's also some potty humor and occasional use of 's-t.'Īdapted from a popular YA book of the same name, this sweet but edgy coming-of-age comedy is written and directed by Lena Dunham, best known for her breakout show Girls. Rollo is portrayed as always being drunk, and another character is seen throwing up after a wedding. But Dunham has fun ridiculing these traditions, and Birdy uses her smarts to stay one step ahead of her father - and any potential husbands. Reflecting the 13th century time period, girls are married against their will and treated like property. That said, there is a distressing birth scene, as well as a duel (with swords) that results in a non-fatal bloody wound. There are discussions about virginity and stillbirth, but nothing overly graphic is shown, and many of the references are made via innuendo. Directed by Lena Dunham, the story follows a 14-year-old girl named Birdy ( Bella Ramsey) who's dealing with adolescence - including first crushes and periods - all while her father, Lord Rollo ( Andrew Scott), tries to marry her off so that he can restore the family's wealth. It's sweet but has sexual references and deals with some tough subject matter.

Parents need to know that Catherine Called Birdy is a coming-of-age comedy (based on the popular same-named 1994 book) set in medieval England. Reference to smoking a pipe.ĭid you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide. The next day a character is hung over and throws up.

Characters are shown to be merry at a wedding. A teen tries some alcohol but spits it out after tasting it. References to a character being drunk all the time character seen drinking on numerous occasions.

Catherine called birdy the book