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Birdman
or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
(2014)
You're
Anything But Invisible
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, rated R for severe language,
sexual content
  Starring:
Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan,
Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Lindsay Duncan, Merritt Wever, Jeremy Shamos, Bill Camp
DML Rating:
★★★★★★★★★★
- perfect
"It's important to me! Alright? Maybe
not to you, or your cynical friends whose only ambition is to go viral. But to
me... To me... this is - God. This is my career, this is my chance to do some
work that actually means something." –
Riggan
Why watch this?
Michael Keaton finally achieves his magnum opus.
Plot Summary: Riggan
Thomson is a has-been Hollywood actor, famously known for
playing an iconic superhero, Birdman, who attempts to revive his
career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway play.
As opening night approaches, he must battle his own ego, an
unhinged lead actor, and severe production disasters that
threaten to derail the show. Amidst the chaos of rehearsals,
Riggan struggles to reconnect with his estranged daughter while
trying to distinguish his true reality from the literal and
figurative voice of his past superhero persona.
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Dad's Preview:
First, this is NOT a superhero movie. Yet, within this
story, life imitates art (and vice versa) as the film's
star is Michael Keaton, who famously portrayed
Batman in three
films (choosing the name Birdman was
intentional). There is so much here that elevates
Birdman to a 10 star movie for me. The short list
includes my admiration of Keaton himself; the intense
deep-dive into the chaos that is stage production; the
additional great performances from Norton,
Galifianakis, Riseborough, Stone and Watts; the
continuous-take cinematography; the satirical nastiness
it pokes at Hollywood, washed-up actors and the value
placed on self-importance/approval. It's also more than
that. It truly is a beautiful mess. It took me
two watches to get through it, and one more to fall in
love. It is worth it, if you are still wondering. Fame
both grants riches and extracts a devastating toll on
those chasing it. Actors are unique people, always
searching for fame, yet never satisfied and often
dysfunctional is the normal world. This film, and
what director Iñárritu is saying, will stick with you.
And... was Riggan a real superhero after all? It was
nominated for nine Oscars, winning four, including Best
Picture, Director, Original Screenplay and
Cinematography. |
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Regency
Enterprises, New Regency, M Prod., Le Grisbi
Prod., Worldview Ent.; Fox Searchlight Pictures
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