Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Theater Whore: Birdman


Birdman 10/10

There will be some spoilers so if you hate that kinda thing why are you reading a movie review? Don't be weird. I was trying to figure out if I should give this a 9 or a 10. If I say a movie is a 10 that means that I left the theater feeling happy that films exist. After seeing Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) this morning I could not think of one reason why not to give it a 10 and realize that this was one of the strangest and original films I've seen. I wasn't sure of what to expect from this exactly. An action film about a washed up superhero trying to recapture his glory? Yeah. That's what I thought it would be about.

It wasn't.


Michael Keaton plays Riggan Thomson who is an actor that is best known for playing Birdman in some very popular movies. A voice in his head, of Birdman, constantly reminds him that he used to be great, can still be great, and should be great. There are instances of him using telekinesis, smashing things and moving objects around the room.

He is starting a new play based on a short story called What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. His friend Jake played by Zach Galifianakis is funding and producing the play and wants Riggan to keep his shit in order for opening night. Andrea Riseborough plays Laura who is Riggan's girlfriend who is possibly pregnant. I recently saw her in Welcome To The Punch and didn't know this was the same woman. Naomi Watts plays Lesley who has been dying to have a Broadway play. She also brings in a volatile element in Mike Shiner.


Shiner is played by Edward Norton. He is great. Not just in this movie but in the play. He knows his lines, your lines, and does not care whether or not anyone likes him. He's a dick. During previews he loses his shit when Riggan switches his gin with water during a performance since he is getting progressively drunk. He also orders a tanning bed because he thinks his character is a redneck. He is dating Lesley and at one point decides to have actual sex on stage, attempting to rape her in front of an audience. Despite his attitude his presence increases ticket sales.


Emma Stone plays Sam who is Riggan's daughter. She is fresh out of rehab and seems to hate her dad. There is one scene where she goes off on him that made the audience in the theater gasp. There is a scene that puts her in her place during a rooftop conversation between her and Shiner where he asks her what made her dad so bad. He laughs at her reasons which doesn't exactly validate her feelings.


As the play continues to get set to start, dealing with the actors and actresses, the critics, the audience, and Birdman seeming to get stronger and stronger in his head, you watch Riggan spiral right the fuck out of control in the coolest damned ways. Even after the movie was done I still wasn't 100% sure that what I saw was what I think I saw. And I loved it.

If you have this playing near you check it out. The way it was filmed is one long scene. What I mean is that it looks like it is one continuous shot which made it so cool. The way it was shot made it feel like I was in the room with these crazy ass people and just had to deal with them. It was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu who also did Amores Perros21 Grams, Babel, and Biutiful. It is only playing at The Arclight near me when it should be in far more theaters.

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