Birdman, 2014.
Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu.
Starring Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Stone, Amy Ryan, Andrea Riseborough and Naomi Watts.
SYNOPSIS:
In an attempt to reinvent himself, a has-been actor, who once played a blockbuster superhero, stages a serious Broadway play with hopes to grab hold of his former glory.
Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is the type of film that only comes around once every several years. It is hilarious and entertaining while at the same time also challenging and dramatic. It is a portrait of a single man that makes bold statements about the current state of our society at large through its use of universal themes.
The film opens with Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) having conversation with his growl of an inner voice while levitating in his shabby, theatre dressing room. The voice, that of his legendary former superhero character alter ego Birdman, is a character in itself, perpetually plaguing Thomson over the course of the film by way of his own pride and insecurities.
While attempting to prove his relevance, through a Broadway adaptation of Raymond Carver’s What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, Thomson finds himself struggling to stay sane in a world far different from the one that once praised him for his big screen action movie exploits. Putting it all out on the line as writer, director and star of the play, Thomson’s perceived abilities are pushed to their very limits while he is simultaneously confronted by his past regrets as a husband and father.
Birdman is a story about life and about human beings and their need to define self-importance through their accomplishments. The film works on many levels and challenges audiences in fresh and exciting ways.
It explores the always-true but ever-changing notion of “life is art is life” and examines people’s willingness to intentionally push the boundaries of reality… both probably best depicted in one of the film’s most memorable scenes where Thomson blasts through Times Square in nothing other than his tighty whities before delivering theater-going audiences a performance of a lifetime. It is also interesting to note that in a film designed to look like one long, seamless take, Iñárritu’s decision to have the subsequent YouTube video of Thomson’s march through the New York streets shown through multiple angles and cuts, can be interpreted as a subtle, clever crack at our desire to believe anything we see on the internet.
The cast of Birdman is superb, led by Keaton’s tour de force performance as Riggan Thomson. His brilliantly executed real life comeback performance about a character’s comeback performance will absolutely make him a contender come award’s season.
Emma Stone played well as Thomson’s jaded, addict daughter and Amy Ryan gave Birdman an added level of heart. Zach Galifianakis broke type nicely as Thomson’s manager Jake and Naomi Watts brought both laughs and sincere drama as play co-star Lesley. Lindsay Duncan was also tastefully vicious as theatre critic Tabitha Dickinson, leading to one of the most engaging dialogue exchanges with Keaton in the film.
The standout supporting performance of Birdman, hands down, goes to Edward Norton. His performance as the uber-serious Broadway actor Mike Shiner was magnetic. He provided non-stop laughs on and off the stage as Thomson’s combative play co-star and brought an added layer of dimension to the character through his relationship with Stone (when whom combined with, created an excellent chemistry).
Birdman is full of excitement and substance. The script, by Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, is packed with great dialogue and hefty character. Emmanuel Lubezki’s (Gravity, Children of Men) cinematography was magnificent and was complimented perfectly by the edgy, nervy score by jazz drummer and first-time film composer Antonio Sanchez.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a technical and cinematic achievement as well as a work of art. It will likely be the best film of the year. Go and see it as soon as you possibly can.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
William Fanelli is contributor to Flickering Myth – You can follow him on Twitter
Originally published November 13, 2014. Updated October 24, 2022.
