Birdman (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Birdman' (directed & co-written by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Babel) is a satirical backstage black comedy that I enjoyed greatly; even bursting out in fits of riotous laughter. I mean, it's about actors, acting, & Broadway -- right in my wheelhouse, anyway. It's also a superb technical achievement; beautifully shot by Emmanuel Lubezki (Oscar-winner for Gravity), and it looks like it's been filmed - quite astoundingly - in just a few extended, continuous takes. Jazz music plays a big role in the movie; it thrums, riffs, percusses, & punctuates everything that what we see onscreen. In addition to all this, our lead character suffers from soul-crushing, hallucinatory flights of fantasy that are just ... brilliantly executed. Simply put, barring a few questionable moments near the end, I freaking loved this movie.
Fading, egocentric movie star Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) ... is pretty out of sorts. Determined to prove himself on Broadway by directing/starring in a self-financed adaptation of a Raymond Carter short story, a much-needed stroke of luck hits Riggan when his terrible stage co-star gets injured & a replacement is found in Broadway veteran Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), whose "method acting" brings chaos to productions & directors. But Mike is both a genuine talent and, more importantly, a box office draw; never mind that his girlfriend, Lesley (Naomi Watts), the play's insecure leading lady, is increasingly agitated with him. Facing mounting adversity during some train wreck previews, Riggan must not only cope with Mike Shiner's grandstanding acting style, but he must face other problems.
His lawyer/manager (Zach Galifianakis) is become increasingly harried about the ramification of a failed play on his client. Riggan's other co-star - and part-time lover - Laura (Andrea Riseborough) has just told him that she may be pregnant with his child. All the while, he must face his embittered ex-wife (Amy Ryan), as well as his right-outta-rehab daughter, Sam (Emma Stone), who vacillates btwn. hating his guts & yearning for their connection. But the play -- the PLAY is the most important thing to him right now; his last hope to rise above the ashes of his previous incarnation: he was once wildly famous for playing Birdman, a blockbuster superhero whose alter-ego voice still rings often (and loudly) in his head. Sobering drama, acute comedy, telekinetic powers, & all sorts of other hijinks ensue.
I loved this movie, even while acknowledging that it's a tad overlong with a thin plot. Having said that, it's just so intangibly entertaining to me that I forgive it's faults. There are 'meta' inside jokes about the industry, about celebrities, & digs about the role of social media in today's society ... but the biggest 'meta' aspect is Michael Keaton, himself. Keaton is a great talent who was once identified with a superhero character 22 yrs. ago (Batman) & finally landed a project worthy of his talent. And Riggan is a great talent who was once identified with a superhero character 22 rs. ago (Birdman), who has finally landed a project worthy of his talent, haha.
Michael Keaton's performance is brave, because the film tears down actors (like he was) who have succumbed to the lure of being superheroes in cash-grabbing blockbusters. However, there's much more to this role than the notion of "oh, it's Michael Keaton playing a version of Michael Keaton" -- it's an authentic & desperately moving portrayal of a man on the brink. Edward Norton is HYSTERICAL in a role that allows him to poke fun at his own tempestuous on-set reputation while also creating a fresh character. With his acerbic line deliveries & eye-popping physicality ... I think he'll join Keaton in Award nominations. Naomi Watts cracked me up, then quietly broke my heart in one particular scene. Emma Stone is electric as Riggan's deeply hurt/angry daughter; spitting sarcastic quips like few others can. And Lindsay Duncan has a small but pivotal role as a venomous theater critic who vows to sabotage Riggan's Broadway endeavor.
'Birdman' addresses themes of failure, identity, & relevancy. Characters like Riggan (and to a lesser extent, his daughter) are complex; they make mistakes and, sometimes the damage is difficult to repair. But they're also aiming for greatness the only way they know how, while others just go through life existing. The film pokes fun at the 'actor' angle & revels in showing how much Riggan has messed-up his personal life, but it also shows a lot of compassion for those (like him) who make mistakes. 'Birdman' is bold, prickly, forceful, yet entertaining through it all. It's not a film for all audiences; perhaps, more mature adults can get the most out of it. But pardon the pun, 'Birdman' soared for me. Though it's not perfect, it's the perfect example of how imaginative cinema can still be.
Fading, egocentric movie star Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) ... is pretty out of sorts. Determined to prove himself on Broadway by directing/starring in a self-financed adaptation of a Raymond Carter short story, a much-needed stroke of luck hits Riggan when his terrible stage co-star gets injured & a replacement is found in Broadway veteran Mike Shiner (Edward Norton), whose "method acting" brings chaos to productions & directors. But Mike is both a genuine talent and, more importantly, a box office draw; never mind that his girlfriend, Lesley (Naomi Watts), the play's insecure leading lady, is increasingly agitated with him. Facing mounting adversity during some train wreck previews, Riggan must not only cope with Mike Shiner's grandstanding acting style, but he must face other problems.
His lawyer/manager (Zach Galifianakis) is become increasingly harried about the ramification of a failed play on his client. Riggan's other co-star - and part-time lover - Laura (Andrea Riseborough) has just told him that she may be pregnant with his child. All the while, he must face his embittered ex-wife (Amy Ryan), as well as his right-outta-rehab daughter, Sam (Emma Stone), who vacillates btwn. hating his guts & yearning for their connection. But the play -- the PLAY is the most important thing to him right now; his last hope to rise above the ashes of his previous incarnation: he was once wildly famous for playing Birdman, a blockbuster superhero whose alter-ego voice still rings often (and loudly) in his head. Sobering drama, acute comedy, telekinetic powers, & all sorts of other hijinks ensue.
I loved this movie, even while acknowledging that it's a tad overlong with a thin plot. Having said that, it's just so intangibly entertaining to me that I forgive it's faults. There are 'meta' inside jokes about the industry, about celebrities, & digs about the role of social media in today's society ... but the biggest 'meta' aspect is Michael Keaton, himself. Keaton is a great talent who was once identified with a superhero character 22 yrs. ago (Batman) & finally landed a project worthy of his talent. And Riggan is a great talent who was once identified with a superhero character 22 rs. ago (Birdman), who has finally landed a project worthy of his talent, haha.
Michael Keaton's performance is brave, because the film tears down actors (like he was) who have succumbed to the lure of being superheroes in cash-grabbing blockbusters. However, there's much more to this role than the notion of "oh, it's Michael Keaton playing a version of Michael Keaton" -- it's an authentic & desperately moving portrayal of a man on the brink. Edward Norton is HYSTERICAL in a role that allows him to poke fun at his own tempestuous on-set reputation while also creating a fresh character. With his acerbic line deliveries & eye-popping physicality ... I think he'll join Keaton in Award nominations. Naomi Watts cracked me up, then quietly broke my heart in one particular scene. Emma Stone is electric as Riggan's deeply hurt/angry daughter; spitting sarcastic quips like few others can. And Lindsay Duncan has a small but pivotal role as a venomous theater critic who vows to sabotage Riggan's Broadway endeavor.
'Birdman' addresses themes of failure, identity, & relevancy. Characters like Riggan (and to a lesser extent, his daughter) are complex; they make mistakes and, sometimes the damage is difficult to repair. But they're also aiming for greatness the only way they know how, while others just go through life existing. The film pokes fun at the 'actor' angle & revels in showing how much Riggan has messed-up his personal life, but it also shows a lot of compassion for those (like him) who make mistakes. 'Birdman' is bold, prickly, forceful, yet entertaining through it all. It's not a film for all audiences; perhaps, more mature adults can get the most out of it. But pardon the pun, 'Birdman' soared for me. Though it's not perfect, it's the perfect example of how imaginative cinema can still be.