Birdman (2014)

Birdman is a movie about a lot of things. Birdman is a commentary on the nature of modern day celebrities and their relationships with their audiences and critics, a darkly entertaining comedy, a movie about a mid-life crisis and a wildly bizarre (and sometimes surreal) experience. This movie came out of nowhere for me and right after I saw the trailer I knew this movie was going to cause quite the ruckus. This is easily one of the most acclaimed movies of the year and it isn't hard to see why. Birdman is a technical marvel and is undoubtedly entertaining in many ways as a comedy, character study and straight up entertaining flick. Birdman was just as entertaining as I was hoping it would be (although not quite as hard-hitting) and I feel it will be a real winner with most people as it gets wider recognition.

Michael Keaton stars as an aging actor named Riggan Thomson who is most known for playing the popular (fictional) superhero Birdman. Unfortunately for Riggan, he has moved away from the blockbuster world and is attempting to put on an adaptation of a well known short story on Broadway and not to entirely successful results so far. As he is trying to do this he realizes how hard it is to re-invent himself in the public's eye, battles harsh critics, has to deal with his somewhat rebellious and cynical daughter and the endless struggles that come along with putting on a major play on Broadway. There isn't a second of downtime in this entire film. The story is very engaging and is laugh out loud funny more often than I was expecting. There are also some subtle fantasy elements that give certain angles in this movie a surreal feeling. Birdman started and ended before I had a chance to breath and for the most part I was completely taken by it.

Without spoiling anything, just know that Birdman gets flat out strange in some points. I think this story is an incredibly clever commentary on the nature of celebrity and how these often glorified individuals can be troubled due to having just as cluttered and crazy lives as anybody else. While I think the movie nails all of its points flawlessly, I couldn't help but try to shake a slight feeling of deja vu. I wouldn't say that any of the ideas explored here are incredibly unique but that isn't suggesting that it isn't well done. Birdman has a lot to say and says it in a very funny way. The creativity behind the structure and style of Birdman is undeniable and presents somewhat familiar concepts in a completely interesting way.

Thanks to amazing cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki (my all time favorite cinematographer) and positively flawless editing, Birdman does something truly incredible as a movie. The entire movie is made to look like one, continuous shot. The camera is always moving and the entire experience is seamless. Antonio Sanchez's fun score (comprised mostly of drumming) gives the entire experience a sense of immediacy and helps some of the crazier transitions of time make sense. Technically speaking, Birdman is an amazing movie to watch. It is a hypnotic experience that heightens the material even more.

One of the most amazing things about Birdman are it's performances, particularly Michael Keaton's turn in the lead role. Keaton played Batman in Tim Burton's Batman films (over 20 years ago now) so seeing his connection with the lead character here isn't hard. He is extremely funny but can turn sad, scared or depressed on a dime. The constant struggles and doubt that seem to be on him at every moment make Riggan a fully realized character and Keaton portrays him perfectly. Emma Stone plays his daughter and I think it's her best performance to date. It's also a change of pace for the young actress, who has never played such a cynical and outwardly negative character before. Edward Norton steals many scenes as well in his role as Mike Shiner, an actor who enters the stage production very late and provides some annoying drama on and off stage. Other well known actors such as Naomi Watts and Zach Galifianakis appear as well, all of them adding a little bit of something to the movie.

It wouldn't be hard to really go into how genius the central premise is due to actor Michael Keaton's past as an actor but I feel like all of that has been said and done a million times over already. I think Birdman speaks for itself. Technically it's absolutely brilliant and showcases the ambition and passion of all parties involved. The actors really stepped it up and Keaton in particular owns this movie. He carries the thematic weight as well as delivering comedic goods. Birdman is a very modern movie and is another story about struggling celebrities who are dealing with their identities and public perception. While I think the central ideas in this film are interesting I found them a little bit tired or familiar as well. It isn't a huge complaint in such a great movie, but it was just enough to keep me from declaring it an all out masterpiece. Having said that, this is one that will age well and will hold up to multiple viewings beautifully.

9/10