A critically acclaimed new film starring Barry Keoghan has premiered in the UK at the London Film Festival, a year after the Irish actor appeared in the viral hit Saltburn.

In Bird, directed by Andrea Arnold, Keoghan plays a chaotic young father raising his children in a run-down housing estate.

The film was generally well received by critics – although one particular plot point proved controversial.

Keoghan previously received an Oscar nomination for his comedic performance in The Banshees of Inisherin, which also starred Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.

The 32-year-old also appeared in The Batman, Eternals, Dunkirk and The Killing of a Sacred Deer.

But it was 2023’s Saltburn that arguably had the biggest cultural impact of his career. Emerald Fennell’s film shocked audiences at last year’s fall festivals and several of its scenes went viral when the film later hit streaming services.

Brilliantly, one scene in “Bird” makes a particularly powerful reference to “Murder on the Dancefloor,” the Sophie Ellis-Bextor song to which Keoghan famously danced naked in “Saltburn.”

The actor has also made headlines over the last year for his on-off relationship with Sabrina Carpenter, pop music’s biggest star of the moment.

Interestingly, Keoghan turned down a role in the upcoming blockbuster Gladiator II so he could direct Bird instead – which is particularly surprising considering he’s not even the main character in Arnold’s film.

But how IndieWire’s Ryan Lattanzio noted: Keoghan is “great in just a few key scenes” while GQ’s Iana Murray said it “might just be his biggest performance yet.”

The Standard’s Jo-Ann Titmarsh added Keoghan’s performance as a “charming, volatile, loving and unpredictable father is a tour de force.”

When asked about his choice between the two films earlier this year, Keoghan explained: “I’m a big fan of Gladiator and a big fan of this cast. It’s a shame you can’t do both. But that’s what happens in this game. You can’t do both.”

Ultimately, however, he felt he made the right decision, describing Bird as “the most artistic experience I’ve ever had as an actor.”

Most reviews praised Keoghan’s complex performance. with comment from critic Bob Mann His character “is a loud, swearing, tattooed, drug-addicted, drug-dealing lout…but he’s also a parent who tries to keep his kids on the right path and has a softer side that’s quite charming.” “

The film may not have a chance in the Oscars race, but is more likely to appear at the Bafta Film Awards or the British Independent Film Awards (Bifas).

Bird focuses on 12-year-old Bailey (Nykiya Adams), who is being raised by her father (Keoghan) in a squatter’s apartment on a working-class estate in Gravesend, where violence and drugs are omnipresent – including in her own home.

But she soon comes into contact with a sensitive man named Bird (Passages star Franz Rogowski), who has returned to the estate where he grew up to track down his family.

Initially suspicious of him, Bailey eventually finds in him a kind of mentor and protector who gives her a new perspective on life.

For most of its running time, “Bird” offers social realism, excellent acting, humorous moments and complicated characters – not least the caring but flawed Bailey.

The portrayal of young people and their struggles with violence and drugs feels authentic and evokes a similar energy to Arnold’s 2009 film Fish Tank. Bird often has a touch of menace, but also a certain tenderness.

It’s an excellent film – possibly one of the best at the London Film Festival – but there’s one particular artistic decision towards the end that will divide audiences.

Some viewers may feel that last sentence spoils the film, but others will welcome the bizarre twist – as many critics have.

“Arnold starts dropping little hints early on that there is some supernatural or fantastical force at work here, and it would spoil the film to give too much away.” said Leslie Felperin of The Hollywood Reporter. “For an Arnold film, everything gets pretty plot-heavy.”

The Telegraph’s Tim Robey said: “Personally, I couldn’t follow Arnold over the dotted line into violent magical realism, however much it might be set in a young girl’s fantasy world.”

“It’s a misjudgment, like playing the weakest suit and confusing it with a trump.”