Birdman- Review

birdman poster

This years darling at the Academy awards is Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s dark comedy about the Hollywood shuffle and the farce of reality it creates. Birdman has an ensemble cast that is the most stacked  I have seen in a film in a long time. Birdman or the unexpected virtue of ignorance,features Micheal Keaton,Emma Stone,Edward Norton,Naomi Watts, and Zach Galifianakis.


The film is the story of washed up action film star Riggan Thomson played wonderfully by Micheal Keaton. Riggan is most notably known for his roles as Birdman, a superman type action hero from the past. Keaton and his producer  Galifianakis run a small production company that is showing their first Broadway play and start running into a gauntlet of problems. They have to replace the actor opposite of Keaton and Watts. This turns out to be Edward Norton, who plays a theater star and show maker among the New York theater scene. Keaton’s daughter is played by Emma Stone. Stone plays a daughter out of loop with her father and his time. She delivers a awes inspiring monologue that earned her an academy award nomination.


The further Birdman progresses Riggans descends further into a madness brought on by himself and his lack of self worth. He lives in an age where he has become obsolete in a world of twitter, Facebook, and a new super hero movie coming out every other month. Birdman is a tour de force. The film is a great example of what a great film needs to do to have success and earn acclaim. Bird man is nominated for nine academy awards and won for best picture,director,screenplay, and multiple other awards. The directing of Alejandro G. Iñárritu really compliments the acting of the actors and he demands their full attention and top performances.
Alejandro G. Iñárritu riggan

The true stand outs of Birdman are Micheal Keaton and Edward Norton. Great films often have multiple great scenes. This defines great films and Birdman has multiple great scenes that one would want to revisit over and over again. I love all the scenes where Riggan is unraveling and his Birdman persona is coming full force. Also Norton’s opening scene with him convincing Riggan he should be the fill in is one of the finer acting jobs anyone can pull off. He comes in and out of acting and reality with ease where you have no idea if he knows the difference at times or if he is acting or just going on with life.


The score is another huge factor in Birdman pulsing and making you hyped and nervous all at the same time. The constant percussion is unnerving at times and brutally honest for how the characters seem to be feeling.

Birdman is a must watch. Birdman is a 9/10 a true cinema masterpiece with few holes. The dvd just came out so go check it out.