August 7, 2025
FILM: THE SPARROW IN THE CHIMNEY
DIRECTED BY: RAMON ZURCHER
STARRING: MAREN EGGERT, LUISE HEYER, BRITTA HAMMELSTEIN
RATING: 2 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
The Sparrow in the Chimney is a film from Swiss writer/director Ramon Zurcher. It is the third part of his “animal trilogy” although I don’t think it’s necessary to have seen the previous films as they feature different characters and plots. What does seem to be the link here, in terms of “animals,” is a heavy use of bird and flying motifs. They’re everywhere from a literal sparrow stuck in a chimney (to get that idea out of the way quickly) to chickens, butterflies, fireflies, a character wearing a bird costume, and another character who “flies” to a family get together. The related messages work well with the characters until the film “flies” off the rails in its final act.
The setting is a large country home where Karen lives with her husband and two children. It was previously Karen’s mother’s house until she died. Now she can’t seem to “fly” away. She has invited the extended family for a birthday celebration. The entire narrative takes place over the course of two days as people arrive and hidden tensions are revealed. The house is typically not locked and the large kitchen window is wide open, allowing for the arrival of a pet cat and a frequently visiting rat. This “openness” to the home puts Karen in an ironic position. She’s free to “uncage” herself of the memories there but chooses not to.
All of the characters seem to be “wounded birds” in various ways. Karen’s young son Leon has become the family chef. He even cuts an apple into the shape of a bird. The boy has bruises which we soon find out come from bullies who beat him up while he is en route to and from home. Karen’s daughter Johanna is referred to as a “cripple” by her mother and later reveals some illness which will eventually make her immobile or “trapped” in her own body. Meanwhile, another daughter, Christina who has previously “flown the coop,” arrives back for the celebration but her time there may be brief as she has to “fly off” in a few days.
As other family members arrive there is constant motion in the home. Rarely do the characters sit and have a conversation. Clearly they are mostly trying to avoid such intimacy. However, certain details are revealed such as their deceased grandmother’s affair with another woman and their grandfather’s disturbing death. As Christina says about the home and family, “everything is broken.” This gets further visual representation through broken glasses, plates, and at least one “broken” pet.
If it seems that a lot of this is often too obvious and literal, well, it is. Karen was controlled by her mother and remains the sparrow stuck in the chimney. Her sister Jule and daughter Christina have flown away. Is now the time for Karen, the caterpillar, to transition into a butterfly and leave home? Yes, the symbolism is hit hard on the head, which I didn’t mind, for much of the film. The problem is that it doesn’t add up to much in the end. There are a series of events that take place on the day of the party. Some seem to be day dreams others may be memories. However, none of them resolve into anything narratively satisfying. There’s even a strong hint of a love triangle that doesn’t really go anywhere.
The film is filled with people crossing boundaries, particularly associated with love and hatred. Karen’s kids are not fans of hers and they tell her so in no uncertain terms. Karen, herself, is rather cold and withdrawn until she gets out to buy a new dress for the party. Maybe she has become a butterfly or bird ready to take off but Zurcher’s plot doesn’t resolve this. Instead we are left with a bunch of characters broken and battered who can only watch the fires that burn around them.
The Sparrow in the Chimney is currently playing in limited theatrical release.
FILM: THE SPARROW IN THE CHIMNEY
DIRECTED BY: RAMON ZURCHER
STARRING: MAREN EGGERT, LUISE HEYER, BRITTA HAMMELSTEIN
RATING: 2 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
The Sparrow in the Chimney is a film from Swiss writer/director Ramon Zurcher. It is the third part of his “animal trilogy” although I don’t think it’s necessary to have seen the previous films as they feature different characters and plots. What does seem to be the link here, in terms of “animals,” is a heavy use of bird and flying motifs. They’re everywhere from a literal sparrow stuck in a chimney (to get that idea out of the way quickly) to chickens, butterflies, fireflies, a character wearing a bird costume, and another character who “flies” to a family get together. The related messages work well with the characters until the film “flies” off the rails in its final act.
The setting is a large country home where Karen lives with her husband and two children. It was previously Karen’s mother’s house until she died. Now she can’t seem to “fly” away. She has invited the extended family for a birthday celebration. The entire narrative takes place over the course of two days as people arrive and hidden tensions are revealed. The house is typically not locked and the large kitchen window is wide open, allowing for the arrival of a pet cat and a frequently visiting rat. This “openness” to the home puts Karen in an ironic position. She’s free to “uncage” herself of the memories there but chooses not to.
All of the characters seem to be “wounded birds” in various ways. Karen’s young son Leon has become the family chef. He even cuts an apple into the shape of a bird. The boy has bruises which we soon find out come from bullies who beat him up while he is en route to and from home. Karen’s daughter Johanna is referred to as a “cripple” by her mother and later reveals some illness which will eventually make her immobile or “trapped” in her own body. Meanwhile, another daughter, Christina who has previously “flown the coop,” arrives back for the celebration but her time there may be brief as she has to “fly off” in a few days.
As other family members arrive there is constant motion in the home. Rarely do the characters sit and have a conversation. Clearly they are mostly trying to avoid such intimacy. However, certain details are revealed such as their deceased grandmother’s affair with another woman and their grandfather’s disturbing death. As Christina says about the home and family, “everything is broken.” This gets further visual representation through broken glasses, plates, and at least one “broken” pet.
If it seems that a lot of this is often too obvious and literal, well, it is. Karen was controlled by her mother and remains the sparrow stuck in the chimney. Her sister Jule and daughter Christina have flown away. Is now the time for Karen, the caterpillar, to transition into a butterfly and leave home? Yes, the symbolism is hit hard on the head, which I didn’t mind, for much of the film. The problem is that it doesn’t add up to much in the end. There are a series of events that take place on the day of the party. Some seem to be day dreams others may be memories. However, none of them resolve into anything narratively satisfying. There’s even a strong hint of a love triangle that doesn’t really go anywhere.
The film is filled with people crossing boundaries, particularly associated with love and hatred. Karen’s kids are not fans of hers and they tell her so in no uncertain terms. Karen, herself, is rather cold and withdrawn until she gets out to buy a new dress for the party. Maybe she has become a butterfly or bird ready to take off but Zurcher’s plot doesn’t resolve this. Instead we are left with a bunch of characters broken and battered who can only watch the fires that burn around them.
The Sparrow in the Chimney is currently playing in limited theatrical release.