What exactly is Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) from director Alejandro González Iñárritu? Is it a parody of superhero films? Is it a study of the mental state of a successful Hollywood actor? Is it about the stress of performing a Broadway play? Is it a cautionary tale about ego and admiration? Truth be told, Birdman is a little bit of all these things tied together by the greatest performance of Michael Keaton‘s career. The plot of Birdman has drawn comparisons to Keaton’s own career post-Batman Returns (though mostly unfairly so). It’s certainly informed by Keaton’s previous work, and perhaps that is why his performance is so hard-hitting. Its also one of the most unique experiences you’ll ever have in a cinema in 2014.
Riggan Thomson (Keaton) became a movie star over two decades ago when he played the superhero Birdman in a trilogy of blockbusters. He is attempting to revive both his career and reputation by writing, directing, and starring in an adaptation of Raymond Carver’s “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” on Broadway. Stressed because of the problem-plagued production, his dwindling finances, and a daughter who is recently out of rehab (Emma Stone), Riggan is suffering from a mental breakdown that is manifested in the voice of Birdman telling him that he’s a loser who needs to go back to playing his box office smash role. Riggan and best friend/producer Jake (Zach Galifianakis) think the production is saved when Broadway superstar Mike Shiner (Edward Norton) joins the cast. However, Riggan and Mike soon develop intense professional and personal differences that threaten to derail Riggan’s comeback. While most of Birdman is about the conflict between Riggan and Mike and Birdman’s haunting of Riggan, there are subplots involving their co-stars Laura (Andrea Riseborough) and Lesley (Naomi Watts), who are romantically involved with Riggan and Mike respectively. Riggan is also facing old issues with his otherwise supportive ex-wife Sylvia (Amy Ryan). Needless to say, none of these women make Riggan’s breakdown go any smoother and the onslaught of external and internal conflicts push Riggan further and further into his Birdman persona.
Normally a film with a cast as talented as the cast of Birdman would warrant a review focusing on the extraordinary performances. While Birdman is full of them — and in particular Keaton and Norton are fantastic — even more extraordinary are the technical achievements. Nearly the entirety of the film is present as one continuous shot. While it obviously wasn’t actually shot that way, it would likely take many viewings to find the edits. Even still, the extremely long takes involving multiple special effects sequences make Birdman a technical marvel. Anyone who appreciates filmmaking will be floored by what Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (who won an Oscar last year for Gravity, which might be the only reason why he wouldn’t win another Oscar for Birdman) accomplished with Birdman. Another excellent element is the score, which is primarily made up of a single drummer. The speed and intensity of the drumming help reveal the characters’ mindsets more accurately than an orchestra of a hundred could.
But behind all the performances and effects, Birdman is outstanding because of its engaging story. Iñárritu explores the nature of celebrity vs. artist, money vs. integrity and (especially pertaining to this review) the role critics play in the creative process — particularly in Broadway theater, where one bad review can destroy a show). The stress of the inner-workings of Broadway make for excellent drama, and the sheer absurdity of the backstage antics are alternately hilarious and shocking. In fact, Birdman hits so many emotional points and has so many elements of different types of films that it’s also impossible to define Birdman by genre. Rarely can you see something unique in a film as metatextual as Birdman, but Iñárritu has done it in what is arguably his best film.
Birdman is the very rare example of a film that features every member of the cast and crew at the top of their games. Everyone involved will likely count their experiences making this film as one of the highlights of their careers. Few films peak as high as Birdman — and it’s one of the best movies of 2014.
RATING: A superior film of emotional impact, technical beauty, and the performance of a lifetime by Michael Keaton (9/10).
Recent Comments