Grief is a powerful force and an often-lengthy process. It comes in waves, comes on at unexpected moments, and can have a powerful impact on our ability to move forward. But even in those bleak moments, we can find hope in unexpected places.

That was true for Helen MacDonald. When her father died, she was at a loss. But they had a shared love of birds. In the wake of his death, she found comfort, solace, and a way forward by taking on the care and training of a Goshawk.

MacDonald’s journey was captured in a 2014 memoir, which has now been adapted into a film by director Philippa Lowthorpe and writer Emma Donaghue. The film, H is for Hawk, releases in theaters on Friday, January 23.

In the film, Helen (Claire Foy) is thrown for a loop by the sudden death of her father (Brenda Gleeson). He was a famous photographer, and they shared a love of falconry. In the aftermath of planning a service and saying goodbye, Helen feels lost and confused.

She’s plagued by memories of her father and an inability to move forward. She decides to acquire a Eurasian goshawk to train. It’s a lengthy and difficult process, but it provides Helen with a focus and a way to remain close to her father. The film, like the memoir, covers the year following her father’s death and how this new friendship helps her to heal.

I enjoy Foy as a performer. She’s done some amazing work in some varied and difficult roles. This is a similar feat because a lot of it is quiet reflection and contemplation. There aren’t a lot of big, broad sequences to get us into Helen’s mind. But Foy does a nice job of conveying the struggle she is going through and the way this new connection is giving her focus and a sense of peace.

The sequences with the goshawk are often beautiful, too. They are majestic creatures and it’s easy to see the appeal of being with these birds, and how it could help provide quiet space for contemplation.

That being said, it’s difficult to convey a memoir, which is a lot about thoughts and feelings, into a film. There are moments it works here, and I did enjoy Foy in the lead role, but the film feels a little dry and a little incomplete. It’s a medication of grief and Helen’s path to healing, but there aren’t any big moments here to bring the film to life in a more robust way.

For those that were fans of the book, it will be worth seeing the translation to the screen. It’s a nice film but isn’t particularly memorable.

H is for Hawk opens nationwide on Friday, January 23.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.