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Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), 2014
Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) is a former superhero franchise actor trying to breathe some life back into his professional life by writing, directing, and acting in a Broadway play based on a novel by Raymond Carver. Forced to hire a new actor (Edward Norton) when one of his leads is injured, Riggan grows more and more stressed as their opening night approaches. Oh, and maybe he's also developed some telekinetic powers.
There's a really nice thing that happens sometimes when I'm watching a movie and I suddenly realize I'm not sure exactly what the movie is about. Not what it's about, plot-wise, but what it's about. And then right on the heels of that thought is the realization that knowing or not knowing what it's about is having zero impact on my enjoyment of it.
Such was the case with Birdman. I'm sure I'll read a review at some point that will spell out some major themes that I missed, but whatever. This was an engaging, funny, propulsive ride and it more than lived up to the tremendous acclaim it received at the time it came out.
I've always been a fan of Michael Keaton. As a kid, he was one of the only actors who I could enjoy as both bad (Beetlejuice) or good/silly (Multiplicity) characters. The character he plays here--clearly aligning to Keaton's own foray as Batman--strikes just the right notes of self-aware fun. Riggan seems to know who he wants to be, and Keaton does a great job of showing a man who oscillates between the highs of confidence and the low lows of doubt.
The supporting cast is pretty terrific. Edward Norton is enjoyably hateable as the overly self-assured Mike, a guy whose notions about "truth" on stage are so important that he won't let unprofessionalism or even a little sexual assault interfere with his process. Emma Stone is her usual excellent, feisty self as Riggan's daughter, Sam, fresh out of rehab and still on spiky terms with her father. Zach Galifianakis does solid, funny work as Riggan's friend (and lawyer), who believes in Riggan but also knows that they need to make things work on the bottom line. Naomi Watts plays Lesley, Mike's long-suffering girlfriend. In smaller roles, Amy Ryan makes for a great scene partner for Keaton in some of the slower, more meditative scenes in which Riggan discusses his past with his ex-wife. Lindsay Duncan also makes the most of her limited screen time playing a theater critic whose hatred of celebrity culture has made her determined to sink Riggan's play.
I really enjoy films that deploy a limited degree of magical realism, and I thought that Birdman really hit the sweet spot in that regard. Is Riggan really moving things with his mind, or is it all in his head? The film is more than happy to leave the point ambiguous right until the very last moments.
I also appreciated the way that the film largely shifted its attention away from Mike's character in the last act. Don't get me wrong: Norton is great in the role. And all of Mike's bluster about truth and methods and limits makes him a great foil for Riggan. But his character adds a degree of absurdity that doesn't gel quite as well with the direction of Riggan's character arc as the film goes on. (I also found the whole subplot about Sam romantically/sexually pursuing him after he tried to sexually assault someone weird and gross, and while their scenes on the roof were beautifully lit, I didn't need any more of them).
I also really loved the in-your-face score, which could be summed up as DRUMS!, and yet it works really beautifully. On a technical level, everything about this film feels like it's firing on all cylinders, and as a piece of art it's just a joy to look at and experience.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), 2014
Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) is a former superhero franchise actor trying to breathe some life back into his professional life by writing, directing, and acting in a Broadway play based on a novel by Raymond Carver. Forced to hire a new actor (Edward Norton) when one of his leads is injured, Riggan grows more and more stressed as their opening night approaches. Oh, and maybe he's also developed some telekinetic powers.
There's a really nice thing that happens sometimes when I'm watching a movie and I suddenly realize I'm not sure exactly what the movie is about. Not what it's about, plot-wise, but what it's about. And then right on the heels of that thought is the realization that knowing or not knowing what it's about is having zero impact on my enjoyment of it.
Such was the case with Birdman. I'm sure I'll read a review at some point that will spell out some major themes that I missed, but whatever. This was an engaging, funny, propulsive ride and it more than lived up to the tremendous acclaim it received at the time it came out.
I've always been a fan of Michael Keaton. As a kid, he was one of the only actors who I could enjoy as both bad (Beetlejuice) or good/silly (Multiplicity) characters. The character he plays here--clearly aligning to Keaton's own foray as Batman--strikes just the right notes of self-aware fun. Riggan seems to know who he wants to be, and Keaton does a great job of showing a man who oscillates between the highs of confidence and the low lows of doubt.
The supporting cast is pretty terrific. Edward Norton is enjoyably hateable as the overly self-assured Mike, a guy whose notions about "truth" on stage are so important that he won't let unprofessionalism or even a little sexual assault interfere with his process. Emma Stone is her usual excellent, feisty self as Riggan's daughter, Sam, fresh out of rehab and still on spiky terms with her father. Zach Galifianakis does solid, funny work as Riggan's friend (and lawyer), who believes in Riggan but also knows that they need to make things work on the bottom line. Naomi Watts plays Lesley, Mike's long-suffering girlfriend. In smaller roles, Amy Ryan makes for a great scene partner for Keaton in some of the slower, more meditative scenes in which Riggan discusses his past with his ex-wife. Lindsay Duncan also makes the most of her limited screen time playing a theater critic whose hatred of celebrity culture has made her determined to sink Riggan's play.
I really enjoy films that deploy a limited degree of magical realism, and I thought that Birdman really hit the sweet spot in that regard. Is Riggan really moving things with his mind, or is it all in his head? The film is more than happy to leave the point ambiguous right until the very last moments.
I also appreciated the way that the film largely shifted its attention away from Mike's character in the last act. Don't get me wrong: Norton is great in the role. And all of Mike's bluster about truth and methods and limits makes him a great foil for Riggan. But his character adds a degree of absurdity that doesn't gel quite as well with the direction of Riggan's character arc as the film goes on. (I also found the whole subplot about Sam romantically/sexually pursuing him after he tried to sexually assault someone weird and gross, and while their scenes on the roof were beautifully lit, I didn't need any more of them).
I also really loved the in-your-face score, which could be summed up as DRUMS!, and yet it works really beautifully. On a technical level, everything about this film feels like it's firing on all cylinders, and as a piece of art it's just a joy to look at and experience.